


Light me... and I'll burn for you

by WinterRaven



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Alpine is a kitten, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Always a Happy Ending, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bucky And Becca Are Twins, Bucky likes it when Steve has a beard, Explicit Sexual Content, Face-Sitting, Firefighter Steve Rogers, First Meetings, Frottage, Hurt/Comfort, Kindergarten Teacher Bucky Barnes, M/M, Marvel Trumps Hate 2019, Minor Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Minor Scott Lang/Hope Van Dyne, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Rimming, Slice of Life, Switching, They're lusty for each other from the get go, Watch these two fall in love, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-19 09:09:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29872395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterRaven/pseuds/WinterRaven
Summary: The first time kindergarten teacher Bucky Barnes spots Steve Rogers is in a firefighter calendar sitting on Assistant Principal Natasha Romanoff's desk. Noticing Bucky's keen interest in Steve, she offers him an opportunity to meet one of her closest friends.He takes the offer because he'd be a fool not to.And when the two men meet, sparks fly.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson/Becca Barnes - Relationship, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson
Comments: 44
Kudos: 66
Collections: Marvel Trumps Hate 2019





	1. I only want you to like me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Stucky1980](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stucky1980/gifts).



> Hello!! Welcome to 2021 and to my first fic of the year. This is my second fic for Marvel Trumps Hate 2019. The lucky bidder of this story is Stucky1980, who was the runner-up bidder for my storytelling skillset. She also happens to be a very good friend and a fantastic artist. Thank you for bidding on the auction, my dear.
> 
> There are a few things I need to say before we start rolling: First, I'd like to thank the MTH mods for their work in running the event. It was my first time participating and I managed to challenge myself with the fics I wrote for it and for the winning bidders. I didn't sign up to do MTH 2020 because this year's writing plate is full, but maybe I'll go back for MTH 2021. We'll see.
> 
> Second, I drew up an art banner for this fic which you'll see when you scroll down to start reading. I started drawing again about a year and a half ago. The last time I drew anything was when I was in elementary school, to be honest. I was inspired to try again after becoming friends with artists who happen to draw fan art. They're such incredible folks. So this is my first Stucky fan art. I think I did okay. No promises that there'll be more. I'm figuring out how to draw the human form or human anything for that matter. But I can draw animals :)
> 
> Third, even though I wrote this because of MTH, I'd like to add that it's also my belated birthday gift to Stucky1980. It's only late by a month. But she doesn't know about the art. I threw that in after I finished writing it. This should be hilarious. I'm gonna get an earful from her. LOL. 
> 
> Fourth, she is a fan of INXS. I'm a fan of INXS. We both love music. The title of the fic is from a lyric in one of INXS' early songs. And the chapter titles are either song lyrics or song titles from musicians/songwriters I love to listen to. Let's be honest, this story was fun to write, and it was fun to write it for her. I hope she loves it.
> 
> And finally, I'd like to thank my beta, star_princess31 for all her work. Always a pleasure working with her and I always learn something interesting from her.
> 
> • • • • •
> 
> WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: This fic is clocking in at over 99k. Long fic lovers rejoice. There are 11 chapters and the posting schedule will be Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays with the last chapter dropping March 31.
> 
> I've yapped long enough. Time to read. Enjoy the ride! See you all on Wednesday :)

  
  


Munching on an apple, Bucky tapped on the open door as he walked into Nat’s office, and seated himself in the chair parked in front of her desk. Placing his leather messenger bag beside his chair, he rested his feet on the second chair and continued eating his apple.

Nat looked up from her paperwork and arched an eyebrow at him.

Bucky smiled at her for a minute before taking his feet off the chair and quickly gave the spot a sweep with his hand.

“So, Mr. Barnes, how did your kindergarten class handle their first day of school?”

“Well, Assistant Principal Romanoff, based on first impressions, they seem to be a good bunch. They’re your typical five-year-olds. They were doing their best to be well-behaved. We’ll see what the dynamics within the group are by Christmas.”

Bucky loved being a kindergarten teacher. He loved seeing their bright faces and the sheer excitement of expanding their world beyond their homes with the act of going to school meeting other kids their age. He loved watching them develop friendships and learn to navigate being around others, laying important foundations to become responsible and functional adults.

Bucky also loved working at Triskelion Elementary School. His colleagues were friendly and easy-going, but serious about their roles as educators, and he was grateful to Natasha for hiring him three years ago, the same year she had become assistant principal.

Like Natasha, Bucky had his Master’s in education. Unlike her, he preferred teaching instead of carving out a path towards a career in administration. That aspect had never interested him. 

But Natasha also loved being around the students and teachers. She was very hands-on and loved getting to know the staff and parents and learning what the students needed to do in order to excel. She knew how every cog in the school’s education wheel worked. 

In consultation with each teacher, she helped them make small adjustments to their curriculums. And in two years, based on state-wide scores and evaluations, Triskelion Elementary became one of the most highly-rated schools in the district. Natasha was quite proud of that fact. Everyone at the school was ecstatic that their hard work had been recognized. 

“I’m certain the dynamics between five-year-olds will be a rollercoaster ride from day to day, nevermind what they’ll be like come Christmas,” Nat remarked with a smile. “Now that day one is done, do you have any big plans for this evening?”

“I’m just gonna pick up some takeout, prepare for tomorrow’s class, and watch a movie.”

“How exciting,” she said dryly.

“I know my evenings aren’t as exciting as the ones you and Clint have but I don’t mind the state of my personal life at the moment.”

“If you must know, Clint is working tonight, so I won’t see him until I wake up tomorrow. It’ll just be me curling up with Liho and reading a good book.”

Bucky nodded in understanding. Clint’s job as a paramedic sometimes contrasted against Nat’s steady and predictable hours but she didn’t mind it at all. She loved her time by herself as much as her time with Clint, and he was the same way. They had found a balance and their relationship flourished as a result. 

“Just give me a minute, then I’ll pack up and we can head over to the subway station.”

“No problem,” Bucky replied.

His eyes drifted across Nat’s notoriously neat desk. But something peeking out from under some folders caught his attention.

“What’s that by your elbow?”

Nat glanced at her elbow. “Oh, you mean this calendar?”

“It’s a calendar? Of what? Isn’t it a little early to be in possession of next year’s calendar. We’re only in September.”

Nat smirked as she pulled the calendar out and handed it over to him. “It’s an advance copy.”

Her answer confused him but he stared at the cover. “An advance copy of a firefighter calendar?” Bucky had to admit the firefighters gracing the cover were insanely fine-looking men. “I didn’t know you liked beefcake calendars.”

“Normally, I don’t. But it’s all for a good cause. The proceeds of the sales go to the animal shelters across the city. Take a look.”

Bucky started looking through the calendar but stopped dead at February. Swallowing hard, he stared at the shirtless man with the brilliant blue eyes and easy smile. His dark blonde hair peeking out from under the helmet, and clean-shaven jawline complimented his broad-shouldered physique which was, quite frankly, mouth-watering. He wondered who chose the pants the man wore for the shoot because they looked like they were going to slide off his hips regardless of how well the suspenders were keeping them up. The annoyingly handsome man’s Adonis belt teased Bucky mercilessly, and in his arms, an elegant black cat who reminded him of Liho. 

“Are all the animals in the calendar from the shelters?”

“Yes, they are. They’re all adorable.”

Bucky found it hard to believe that someone would give up or toss aside an animal as beautiful as the one sitting in the firefighter’s arms. There was no understanding people.

Then Bucky noticed an autograph at the right bottom corner of the image. He could make out the letter ‘s’ but the rest looked like squiggly lines. Quickly flipping through the rest of the calendar, he realized February was the only month bearing a signature.

“Uh, you got Mr. February to autograph his month?”

Nat laughed. “Mr. February is actually one of my closest friends.”

Bucky furrowed his brow. “How come I’ve never met him? Have you ever mentioned him before? What’s his name?”

Nat was delightfully amused by his intense interest in her friend. 

“You’ve never met him because whenever I have a get-together, one of you always has something going on. And I have mentioned him a couple of times but only in passing. His name is Steve.”

Bucky couldn’t remember Nat mentioning the man’s name in any previous conversations. “Steve. Well, at least I don’t have to refer to him as Mr. February. You said this is an advance copy?”

“Yes, Steve showed it to me and Clint over the weekend and I pestered him to give it to me and sign it. The fire department is going to start their campaigns and calendar sales at some of the farmers’ markets this weekend. They’ll be hitting the TV stations and newspapers for a little publicity. It won’t take much since it always sells out.”

Bucky nodded, acknowledging he was still listening to Nat as he perused the calendar before flipping back to Steve.

“Some of the firefighters who posed in the calendar will be at the Down to Earth farmer’s market in Park Slope this Saturday. Steve will be there.”

Bucky looked up Nat who was smirking at him as she closed her briefcase.

“He will?” he asked, failing badly at hiding how interested he was at the opportunity to meet the man.

“He’ll be there. Clint and I are going to visit him. Come with us. I’ll introduce you to him. You can get your own copy of the calendar and I know he’ll sign it for you.”

Bucky couldn’t turn down the opportunity to meet him. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

• • • • •

Walking through the crowded market on a crisp September Saturday morning, Bucky, Nat, and Clint made their way to the market’s center where a green space was located and was used for special events. 

A couple of canopy tents sat on a small portion of the green space. Beside the tents was a FDNY fire engine. A couple of the firefighters were leading a small group of children around the engine, explaining some of the equipment and parts of the vehicle. 

Over at the tents were a small group of women, perusing the calendars. There was a man at the table, ready to answer questions the women might have. Steve was that man, dressed in dark jeans and a FDNY t-shirt, smiling at the women. Excitement coursed through Bucky’s body. Even though he was still a good distance away from the tents, he knew Steve was far better looking in person. But he wanted a closer look to confirm his impression.

Approaching the tents, Bucky noticed the women handing over their money for the calendars before leaving. Steve noticed Nat and waved at her. Bucky watched Steve quickly glance in his direction. His eyes shifted back to Nat.

“Nat, I gave you a calendar already,” Steve teased, quickly glancing at Bucky again.

“Rogers, you know damn well I’m here to give you a little moral support,” she replied.

Steve turned his attention to Clint. “Hey man, how’s it going? The citizens of New York keeping you busy?”

“Only the ones who insist on shoving objects into their orifices because of some dumbass dare,” Clint replied with a smile. “I swear this has been happening quite a bit in the last few weeks. We get sent out about once a week to help remove an object where it’s not supposed to be. If it requires a doctor’s touch, we transport him to the hospital. You, know, the interesting thing is the ones in need of our assistance are always men. I don’t understand. I don’t know what the hell is going on but these guys need to grab at least one brain cell.”

“That’s because women don’t do frat boy shit,” Nat chimed in.

Steve chuckled as he looked at Bucky. “I’m sorry. I don’t think we’ve been introduced.” He extended his hand towards Bucky. “I’m Steve Rogers. I’m with Rescue 2 out of Brooklyn/Crown Heights. I’m the lieutenant.”

Bucky thought Steve’s smile was dazzling, and his baritone voice could easily leave him weak in the knees.

“The two men giving the kids a close up look at the engine are Thor and Peter,” Steve continued, pointing his finger in the direction of the two men. “They’re from my station, too. Thor’s the tall one. He’s in the calendar. Peter isn’t. He’s new and on probation but still wanted to help out this morning.”

Bucky shook his hand. Steve’s hand was firm and warm. “Hi. I’m Bucky Barnes. Bucky is short for Buchanan, which is my middle name.” 

“Great name. What’s your first name?”

“James.”

Steve smiled. “That’s a good name but Bucky does suit you. How do you know these two?” he asked, gesturing at Nat and Clint.

“I work with Nat. I’m the kindergarten teacher.”

“He’s excellent with kids,” Nat added. “They all love him. He was the first hire I made when I became assistant principal. We also knew each other from college. We were in a few courses together and were part of the same study group.”

Bucky noticed Steve listening intently. 

“Yeah, Nat was telling me about a firefighter calendar that was put together to raise money for the city’s animal shelters,” he commented.

“Yeah, we put together a calendar every year for the shelters,” Steve replied. “We do photo shoots with some of the shelter animals. Everybody involved donates their time to put it together. It’s really well done.”

“That’s really generous of the department to do that. How long has this been running?”

“The calendars have been happening since before I became a firefighter but working with the animal shelters has been recent. I think we’ve been working with them for the last five years. I could be wrong though. Would you like to see the finished product?”

“I would love to take a look if you don’t mind.”

Smiling, Steve handed a calendar over to Bucky. “I don’t mind at all. Here you go.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky could see Nat trying not to laugh and Clint looking at her with a confused expression. Deciding to ignore her, he began looking through the calendar.

“I’m in there,” Steve said in a slightly bashful tone. 

“Really?” Bucky wasn’t proud of the fact that he was pretending he hadn’t seen the calendar in Nat’s office days ago. But he didn’t want Steve to think he was creeping or stalking him. He just wanted to meet him in-person. After allowing himself to stare at the firefighter, he decided that as good as the photographer was at taking Steve’s picture, the man was far more captivating in the flesh.

“Yeah, just flip to the next month,” Steve suggested.

Bucky did as he was told and stared at the month of February again. “Wow, you look… awesome. Are you always oiled up like that?”

Steve blushed. “No, not always.”

“Hey Steve, are you trying to charm someone into buying the calendar?” shouted an unfamiliar voice. 

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice. Bucky noticed everyone smiling at the man walking towards them with a cup of coffee in each hand.

“Sam, look who’s here to visit me,” Steve called out.

Sam glanced at Nat and Clint. “Trying to keep our boy outta trouble?”

“Too late for that,” Nat replied smiling. “Let me introduce you to Bucky. He works with me and I thought he could support the animal shelters by buying a calendar. Steve is trying to close the deal.”

Handing one of the coffee cups over to Steve, Sam reached out and shook Bucky’s hand. “Hi, the name is Sam Wilson. Nice to meet you. So, you’re a school teacher?”

“Nice to meet you Sam. I’m Bucky Barnes. Yeah, I’m a kindergarten teacher.”

“Nice. They’re at that age where they haven’t figured out getting into trouble can be a ton of fun.”

Bucky chuckled. “Yeah, you could say that. So, what’s your vocation aside from wrangling coffee for Steve?”

“My true calling is medical doctor. I’m a surgeon over at the University Hospital. I only wrangle coffee for this clown because he’s my best friend.”

“We’ve known each other since we were kids,” Steve confirmed. “Actually, I’ve known Nat a little longer. We all grew up together, getting into a shit ton of trouble.”

“Speak for yourself, Steve,” Nat smirked. “I kept my nose clean while I watched you two get called out for your nonsense.”

“Not so fast, Romanoff,” Sam said with mock surprise. “You were part of our shit. The only thing that kept you from getting disciplined by your parents was that you knew when to stop while we kept pushing our luck.”

Bucky didn’t realize at that moment how relieved he was to hear that Steve and Sam weren’t a couple. But he could see that Sam was a handsome fellow and he wouldn’t blame any man or woman for wanting to get to know the good doctor better.

“Has that changed now that you’re all functioning adults?” Bucky asked with a grin.

All three answered ‘yes’ at once before they started laughing. Clint looked at Bucky and shrugged his shoulders.

“So are you going to pick up one of the calendars?” Sam asked.

“I’m considering it,” Bucky replied.

“Not only is Sam Steve’s coffee wrangler, he is also Steve’s unofficial bodyguard,” Nat quipped.

Bucky raised his eyebrows at her in confusion. He wasn’t sure if she was joking.

“I’m here to keep the female persuasion from getting too handsy with Steve,” Sam clarified.

“Seriously?” Bucky was skeptical.

“Oh yeah. Steve’s too polite to tell them their advances are making him uncomfortable so I swoop in and figuratively throw cold water on them.” 

“I bet you’re popular with them,” Bucky remarked.

“Most of the time, they pout but they understand and end up apologizing.”

“I’m not crazy about being pursued aggressively,” Steve admitted. “I don’t aggressively pursue anyone I’d like to date and I’d like to be treated the same way.”

“The first time he posed for the calendar, he had a number of female admirers try to contact him at Rescue 2. Carol was so mad, she threatened to call the police if they continued to harass him and the rest of the crew,” Sam added.

“Who’s Carol?” Bucky asked.

“Carol is my fire captain. She was royally pissed. Honestly, the admirers were there for Thor too. Not all of them were there for me.”

“Wow, that must have been a fun time,” Bucky said in a commiserating tone. “So this isn’t your first time appearing in the calendar?”

Steve smiled shyly. “No, it isn’t. This is my third time. The first time I volunteered because I thought it would be fun and hilarious. The last two times, I was asked because I apparently rated quite favorably with the people who purchased the calendars.” He shrugged. “It’s all for a good cause and I really want to help the shelters any way that I can.”

Bucky loved that Steve thought more about helping the animals rather than helping his ego. He found it endearing and a relief that he didn’t have to deal with another narcissist. He looked at the calendar again.

“Alright, I’d like to help the shelters by purchasing a calendar,” Bucky said with a smile. 

“That’s great!” Steve said brightly. “It’ll be twenty dollars for the calendar.”

“If you don’t mind, I have another question for you,” Bucky said, handing over a twenty-dollar bill. 

“Ask me as many questions as you want,” Steve smiled, taking the bill and placing it in black metal cash box. “I’m here until two o’clock.”

“Alright, who decides which firefighter gets a particular month? Because you were given the shortest month.”

Steve chuckled. “I didn’t choose to be Mr. February. I don’t know who makes the decisions. We’re not informed who gets what month until they’ve been printed and are ready for sale. It’s always a surprise.”

“Were you always Mr. February?” Bucky started laughing. He couldn’t keep a straight face anymore.

Steve’s eyes twinkled with mirth. “Nope. I was Mr. September the first year I did it. Last year, I was Mr. April. I’d like to be Mr. July just because my birthday is in July. But I can work with February. What you need to do in thirty or thirty-one days, you can do in twenty-eight with me. I give more bang per day than all the other months.”

Sam immediately choked on his coffee, Clint barked out a laugh and Nat was trying her best not to lose her shit.

“What?” Steve asked.

“I give more bang per day?” Clint wheezed. “Are you shittin’ me? What the hell kind of pickup line was that?”

Bucky’s eyes widened at the realization that everyone was watching them flirt. He watched Steve’s cheeks flush with pink. 

“It’s not the worst line I’ve ever used,” he said defensively.

“Yes, you would be correct,” Sam agreed as he tried to wipe the coffee off his shirt. “What you just said was the best of the lot.”

“Really, Sam?” Steve looked to Nat.

“Don’t look at me,” she said, holding her hands up in surrender. “I think Clint and I should go. We haven’t perused the vendors yet. Bucky, when you’re done, come find us.” She winked at him as she took Clint’s hand and walked away.

Steve finally turned his attention onto Bucky. “Was what I said really cheesy?”

“I didn’t realize you were trying to pick me up until a minute ago,” Bucky replied, trying to remain nonchalant albeit a touch confused. “Were you?”

Steve stalled for a moment trying to decide what to say.

Both men heard Sam chuckle. “Alright Steve, I’ll save you the embarrassment and leave you two alone. I have to find some water and clean up this mess on my shirt. I’ll be back later. Nice meeting you, Bucky. Hopefully, I’ll see you around more often.”

“Same here, Sam. Good to meet you.”

“Yeah, I’ll see ya, Sam,” Steve said as an afterthought. He paused for a moment. “I was flirting with you. And yeah, I was throwing a pick-up line at you,” he said sheepishly.

Bucky smirked. “I gotta be honest with you. Your taste in pickup lines is questionable.”

“I’ve never been smooth with my lines. I tank about ninety-nine percent of the time when I use them.” 

“Well, you can redeem yourself by signing the calendar,” Bucky suggested. He watched Steve’s eyes light up.

“Yeah, I can definitely do that.” Steve grabbed a black marker that was lying beside the cash box. “Did you want me to write anything in particular?”

“Why don’t you surprise me?”

Steve arched an eyebrow. “Free rein. That could be dangerous.”

“Bring it on. I think I can handle your brand of danger,” Bucky grinned.

Steve thought for a moment and wrote something on his image. “There you go,” Steve smiled, handing back the calendar.

Bucky only saw Steve’s signature, but underneath it, he saw a set of numbers.

“Is this your number?”

“My cellphone… If you want to call or text me,” he said quietly.

Bucky couldn’t help but smile at the invitation. “I just might do that.”

• • • • •

Two bags of groceries plopped onto the kitchen counter. They were items that Steve had picked up from the farmers’ market after all the calendars he had been given were sold. After placing his cellphone on the kitchen table and putting the cash box on top of the fridge, he began putting away the fruit, vegetables, and baked goods he picked up from one of his favorite farmers’ market vendors.

As Steve placed the pint of blueberries in the crisper, he couldn’t stop thinking about Bucky. Everything about the man captivated him — his blue-gray eyes, his smile, the short little ponytail that kept his hair out of his face and showed off his strong jawline and adorable dimpled chin. Steve was relieved that he had worn his form-fitting jeans that easily suppressed the bulge that had begun to take shape once he heard Bucky’s silky voice.

Steve couldn’t remember the last time he had been so turned on, yet completely terrified of making a bad first impression.

Hearing his phone ping, informing him he had just received a text message, Steve walked over to see who was trying to contact him.

_Nat: Did u give Bucky ur #?_

Steve laughed before texting her back. 

_Steve: Yes. Why didn’t I meet him when he was in college with u?_

_Nat: b/c it never dawned on me that you’d want to meet him. I wasn’t playing matchmaker back then._

_Steve: glad you didn’t but maybe u should have w/ Bucky_

_Nat: LOL. U’ve met now. Gonna go on a date?_

_Steve: want to. Waiting for him to call._

_Nat: u didn’t get his #?_

_Steve: forgot_

_Nat: dork. He’ll call. He’s a great guy. Good person. Perfect for u._

Steve wondered if Nat was right. 

_Steve: I’ll take ur word for it._

_Nat: trust me._

_Steve: know any good restaurants for a first date?_

_Nat: ur not that rusty, r u?_

_Steve: I suck at the dating thing._

_Nat: Fine, fine. Lol. Take him to The Savored One. Clint and I love going there for date nights. Make reservations tho. Dress nice. Not fancy. Dark jeans are fine._

_Steve: thanks._

_Nat: ur welcome. Later._

_Steve: wait. You only wanted to talk to me about Bucky?_

_Nat: yes. I was curious :)_

_Steve: good grief. Fine, c u l8r._

As Steve was about to put the phone back down on the table, it rang. Looking at the caller ID, he sighed and smiled.

“Hi Sam.”

“Have you called Bucky yet?”

“Oh my God, what is it with you and Nat?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nat just texted me asking about him. She wanted to know if I gave him my number.”

“Her mistake. I know you gave him your number. You’re not one to resist a pretty face like his.” Steve heard the smile in his voice. “I’m just wondering when the first date is gonna happen.” 

“The two of you are rotten little shits,” laughed Steve. “And the answer is, I don’t know. I don’t have his number so I’ll just wait for his phone call.”

“Well, I’m not gonna call you out for not getting his number.”

“You’re so kind. Thank you.” Steve replied dryly, walking back to the fridge to grab a bottle of iced tea. “Please don’t tell me the only reason you’re calling is because of Bucky.”

“I really don’t think I’m that transparent,” Sam replied in mock offence. “Even though you’re correct. But I also wanted to see if you were ready for the 2-on-2 basketball tournament tomorrow.”

“I am. What’s the final number of teams participating?”

Sam had asked Steve to team up with him for the tournament which was a fundraiser to help Brooklyn women’s shelters with some of the operational costs of running their programs. A couple of his colleagues at the hospital who volunteer at the shelters had spread the word about the fundraiser. 

Since he and Steve had spent countless hours shooting hoops together when they were teenagers, he thought it would be a fun thing to do and a great way to support a much needed service. Steve agreed with him.

“Got sixteen teams signed up including us,” replied Sam. “If the tournament ran the entire weekend instead of the one day, there would be more teams signed up but this was impromptu. I think the next time they organize this, they’ll plan for a weekend tournament. It also couldn’t hurt to have a few sponsors. It would raise the tournament’s profile and bring in more participants.”

Steve appreciated how passionate Sam was about the organizations dedicated to helping those in the greatest need in the community.

“You sound like you’re thinking of helping out with sponsorship,” Steve grinned.

“I don’t know about that. I know I yap a lot but I’m just wilding most of the time. But I know some people who are good at helping companies and corporations loosen their purse strings. They’d be great allies. Anyway, I gotta go. Dinner at grandma’s in half an hour. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Nine o’clock sharp. I’ll see you then.”

• • • • •

After changing into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, Steve made his way to the living room couch and turned on the TV. He was in search of something suitable as background noise while he flipped through the pages of a cookbook on Mexican cuisine.

He had bent the corners of the pages containing recipes he was interested in making but had yet to create. While perusing the images for the thousandth time, Steve was pulled out of his culinary fantasies when his cell phone buzzed and vibrated incessantly on the coffee table. Grabbing the phone, its screen showed an unfamiliar number but the name above it wasn’t. Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, he answered the call.

“Hello… Bucky?”

“Hi. Yes, it’s me.” The man sounded a little unsure and maybe a little shy. “I thought I’d call you sooner rather than later. I didn’t want to leave you hanging after you wrote down your number.”

“That’s kind of you to get back to me so quickly. I wouldn’t have minded if you had taken your time before calling me.” 

Steve knew it was an outright lie when those words came out of his mouth. He would have been sorely distracted until Bucky made the call. But he would have waited just to get to hear his voice again. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long and was elated and relieved that Bucky had called.

“I’m not one to play games,” Bucky replied, sounding more confident. “Life’s too short for bullshit like that.”

“Yeah, I hear ya. To be honest, I was terrified you wouldn’t call. I thought maybe you were just humoring a dork who’s nowhere near your league.”

“Nowhere near my what? I’ll have you know I like dorks. But don’t think you’re a dork. You might be a punk, but we’ll have to wait and see. And I also think you’re a golden retriever.”

Steve laughed. “A golden retriever?”

“Friendly, adorable, and loyal. You strike me as the loyal kind.”

Steve paused, wondering where Bucky had been all his life. “Yeah, some folks would say I’m loyal.”

“Glad you confirmed that. So, did all the calendars sell out?”

“The ones I was given for the market all went home with someone. I’m happy to go home with nothing but the proceeds which will be coming with me when I head down to the union office on Monday.” Steve was happy and proud that all the calendars had been purchased. It pleased him to know that the animal shelters would benefit from the much needed funds.

“How many calendars did you have?”

“I had a hundred. Considering the number of people that go to the market on a Saturday, that amount was conservative.”

“I’m impressed. I'm also a little concerned that you have quite a bit of cash with you. Not worried that someone would try to rob you?”

“Do I look like I need protection?”

“Not really, but you never know if anyone is foolhardy enough to try.”

“I was careful,” Steve reassured. “A number of sales were done through debit and credit cards so the cash haul isn’t as large as you would think.”

“Alright, you’ve convinced me.” Steve could hear the smile in Bucky’s voice. “Let’s move on to something more interesting.”

“Oh? Like what?”

“That was bold of you to jot down your number on the calendar. Are you looking to finagle a date out of me?”

“Oooh, you make me sound like a slimy car salesman. I wouldn’t say finagle. I just wanted to see if you would be interested in going out for dinner with me in the near future.”

Bucky paused for a moment. “How near future are we talking about?” 

Steve loved the interested tone in his voice. “I was thinking this Friday. I don’t think it’s fair to take you out to dinner on a school night.”

“Next Friday would be perfect. Did you want to meet up somewhere or did you want to pick me up?”

“I’d like to pick you up at your place if you’re okay with that. I know some people prefer to meet somewhere more neutral.”

“I’m alright with you coming to my place. I’m on Bushwick Avenue near Willoughby. I’ll text you the address. What time were you thinking of coming by?”

“Would you be ready by 6:45?”

“I’ll be ready. You wanna give me a hint or an idea of where you’re taking me?”

“We’re going into Manhattan. But I haven’t decided on the exact location.”

Bucky chuckled. “Then I won’t ask again until Friday. No pressure… Unfortunately, I have to cut our conversation short. I’m heading over to my parents’ for dinner so I don’t want to be late. You’re welcome to text me though. Or you could call me later.”

Steve was a little crestfallen upon hearing that Bucky had to go, but he was excited about their date on Friday.

“How about we text each other for the week but no phone calls?” he suggested.

“Uh, okay, but why no phone calls?”

“Because I’ll never get anything done if you’re in my ear.”

Bucky laughed. “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to take that as a compliment.”

“It’s a compliment, believe me. It’s too easy to just sit and do nothing but listen to you talk. I’d like to save that for Friday. I’m sorry, I probably sound like an oddball to you right now.”

“You’re not an oddball. It’s too early for me to give you that label. And I understand. I like the sound of your voice too. I bet it sounds pretty sweet when you whisper in someone’s ear.”

A shiver traveled down Steve ’s spine at the concept of whispering in Bucky’s ear. “You will hear me in person on Friday, and if you want I could whisper in your ear,” he breathed out. His cock stirred at the images that suddenly appeared in his head.

“I would be very intrigued if you would.” Bucky’s voice had dropped into a teasing and seductive tone. Steve found himself palming his groin. He silently cursed himself for being aroused so easily. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a good fuck. Then he remembered. It was three years ago with his last boyfriend whom he thought was ‘the one.’

“Okay, I should let you get to your parents’ place,” Steve remarked, sliding his hand underneath the waistband of his sweatpants and briefs. Lightly gripping his thickening cock, he quietly inhaled. “I’ll text you later.”

“Sure thing, Steve. I look forward to your texts. See ya soon.”

“Yeah, see ya soon.” 

After Bucky ended the call, Steve stroked himself, thinking about Bucky and ignoring whatever was playing on TV. Soon he pushed his sweats down to his ankles. With his other hand, he fondled his balls and teased his perineum, imagining Bucky’s luscious lips around his cock and how he wanted to fuck his sweet mouth. Sliding a finger tip to his entrance, he paused for a second before pushing against it. The pressure was enough for him to gasp and come instantly, making a mess of himself.

Closing his eyes for a moment to catch his breath, Steve continued stroking, still spilling all over his hand. He was surprised by the intensity and how quickly he came. After a few minutes, he wiped his hand on his t-shirt, pulled up his underwear and sweatpants. Heading for the stairs to clean up and change into clean clothes, he hoped his hair-trigger response was a one time thing. He wasn’t sure how he could keep his composure if he came far too quickly like a teenager with Bucky. 


	2. All perfect light and promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky go on their first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to the second chapter. I'd like to thank everyone for their enthusiastic response to the first chapter. I'm glad it entertained you. It's very appreciated. So without further ado, here we go!
> 
> The next chapter goes up this Friday :)

The next morning, Steve arrived at the station ready for another 24-hour shift. May and Val were busy giving the engine a polish while Thor and Peter were sorting and cleaning the fire helmets. They all spotted him and the box of baked goods that he had in his hands. The box bore the colors of the crew’s favorite bakery located two blocks from the station.

“Good morning,” he sing-songed, breezing past the crew and straight for the kitchen. A freshly brewed pot of coffee sat waiting for someone to pour the first cup. Before anyone could say anything, he called out “Yes, they’re muffins. They should still be warm.”

The crew quickly abandoned their chores and followed Steve into the kitchen. As if they were running a drill, everyone grabbed their mugs, poured the coffee and grabbed a muffin without getting in each other’s way. 

Peter grabbed two muffins, one for himself and one for May, while she poured coffee for the both of them. They held the distinction of being the only aunt-nephew duo to be working on the same fire crew in the state of New York and probably in the country.

“Thanks for breakfast, Steve,” May said before she took a bite of her blueberry oatmeal muffin. “I’ll pick up breakfast next time.”

“Good morning,” Carol chimed as she walked into the kitchen carrying an empty coffee mug. The crew replied with their good mornings. “How was everyone’s time off?”

“I got a new car on Friday,” Peter answered first. “Well, it’s new to me. It’s only a couple of years old.”

“It’s true,” May confirmed. “I was there to watch him pick up the keys from the dealership.”

“Now I can go on dates with MJ without having to borrow Aunt May’s car anymore.”

Peter was always eager to contribute to a conversation. A bright and smart boy, May always thought he would have a career in the scientific field but his interests never quite leaned in that direction. 

When his parents were killed in a car accident when he was just a toddler, May took guardianship of her sister’s only son. Peter grew up admiring and adoring his aunt. He loved the fact she was a firefighter and got to drive the ‘big red fire truck’. Her job had always appealed to him. May probably shouldn’t have been surprised that he wanted to follow in her footsteps, but she was. And she couldn’t have been prouder when he passed his exams and landed a position with Rescue 2. 

The crew, including Steve and Carol, had met Peter when he had just graduated from high school. They were keenly aware of his desire to be a firefighter, and were a sounding board for May’s motherly yet unfounded concerns about Peter’s career choice. They were proud of Peter passing his exams with top marks and thrilled that he would be joining his aunt at the station. In fact, Carol had pulled a few strings to get the young man added to the crew.

“I just read a good book, watched TV, and slept,” Val commented, taking a sip of her coffee. “That was about as much as my brain wanted to handle. What about you, Thor? Did Loki talk you into doing some crazy shit like skydiving? I can’t believe you let him talk you into doing that with him.”

“It was perfectly safe,” Thor countered with a grin. “I’m here, aren’t I? Anyway, I did something safer. I was helping Steve hawk calendars in Park Slope.”

“Hey, I was there too,” Peter chirped. “I just forgot to mention that.”

Carol smiled, taking a drink of her coffee. “How did the calendars do, Steve?”

“Sold out,” he grinned. “I dropped the cash box off at the union office before I got here.”

“Hey who was that guy you were talking to?” Thor asked Steve.

“What guy?”

“The guy with Nat, Clint, and Sam.”

“Oh, him. Just someone who bought a calendar.”

“You were flirting with him,” Thor said with a grin.

Everyone looked curiously at Steve, waiting for him to respond to Thor’s statement.

Steve casually brought the coffee mug up to his lips. “What makes you say that?” 

“Your body language. His body language,” Thor replied, as if everyone knew what he was talking about. “I was too far away to hear the conversation.”

“What did he look like?” Val asked Thor.

“He was about Steve’s height. Chestnut brown hair. He had a short ponytail. Strong jawline. Jeans, sneakers, and a light jacket. Maybe around the same age. Couldn’t be sure.”

“What color were his eyes?” May asked.

“I couldn’t tell,” said Thor. “I wasn’t close enough to get a look or say hi. By the time Peter and I were finished giving a small group of children a tour of the engine, he was gone.”

“How come I didn’t notice this was going on?” Peter asked.

“Because you’re not nosy enough like us,” May replied with a smirk.

Steve stared at the crew while Carol gave him an amused look. He knew they meant well aside from being curious as fuck. 

“Hey guys, I’m right here,” Steve interrupted. 

“Oh hey, hi Steve.” Thor smiled innocently. 

Steve chuckled and shook his head. “I didn’t realize my love life was so interesting to all of you.”

“Honestly, you have a lot to offer,” said May. “You’re a great guy. A really good human being. You deserve to share your life with someone.”

Steve shrugged. “I could say the same to you too.”

“This isn’t about me. It’s about you, Steve. You’re a hopeless romantic. We all know that about you. You should be a hopeless romantic with someone who can appreciate it. Who was the guy you were flirting with? I bet he could be someone special.”

Steve was hoping Bucky could be someone special but until they had their first date, there was no way of knowing. He sighed.

“Look, I got his number, alright?”

Everyone grinned at him.

“Oh my God, guys,” Steve said in exasperation. “Just let me figure this out. If there’s anything to tell you and I feel like sharing, I’ll let you know.”

“Fine, but what color are his eyes?” Val asked. “We might as well use our imagination until we meet him.”

“Incorrigible. You’re all incorrigible.”

• • • • •

Waiting until next Friday proved to be a difficult task for both men, but they didn’t waste any time before texting each other when the mood struck once Steve kicked things off by nervously sending a funny meme to Bucky. Thankfully, Bucky replied back with laughing emojis. 

Their texts were short; they consisted of ‘hello’, ‘how are you’ and short answers to the question ‘how’s your day going?’ 

They mutually agreed not to talk about their first date until Thursday because they would have been too wound up by the time Steve arrived at Bucky’s door.

But Steve did learn through their text conversations that Bucky shared an apartment with his best friend, Scott, who was rarely home because he spent most of his time with his girlfriend, Hope. Bucky estimated Scott was at the apartment roughly seven to ten days out of the month. Scott and Hope were hopelessly in love. Scott still paid his share of the rent but Bucky knew it was only a matter of time before he would move in with Hope and eventually marry.

And Bucky learned Steve was finishing his Master’s in kinesiology when he began training to become a firefighter. 

Sharing tidbits of personal information and exchanging funny memes throughout the week managed to temper their mutual desire to see each other until Thursday rolled around.

_Steve: I can’t fucking wait to see you tomorrow._

_Bucky: I thought we agreed not to talk about the date until Thursday._

_Steve: Today is Thursday._

_Bucky: Oh ffs. It’s 7:30am. It’s your day off right?_

_Steve: I’ll go back to sleep. I just wanted you to know I’m thinking about tomorrow :-)_

_Bucky: OMG. GO BACK TO SLEEP!_

_Steve: But you are thinking about it right?_

_Bucky: lol. Yes I am. I admit it. Now go back to sleep. I have to get ready for work._

_Steve: :-)_

• • • • •

“Are you ready for your date with Steve this evening?”

Sitting in the teachers’ lounge, Bucky had his teeth sunk halfway into his cheese and tomato sandwich when Nat threw that question at him. Taking his time, he chewed thoughtfully as he gave her a questioning look.

“Steve might have mentioned it to me during a phone conversation a couple of days ago,” Nat clarified.

“Okay, good to know. I was wondering if you had people spying on me and Steve.”

Nat laughed. “I would never do that to the two of you. You don’t warrant that kind of scrutiny.”

“Oh, that makes me feel much better,” Bucky said dryly.

“Seriously, I’m curious. Are you ready for your big date tonight?”

Bucky paused for a moment. “I’ll admit to being a little nervous.”

“That’s anticipation, not nerves.”

“Feels the same to me.”

“You’ll be fine. Steve is a sweetheart. I’ve known him since we were kids. I can absolutely vouch for his character. You won’t find a better person on this planet than Steve.”

• • • • •

Bucky stared at the open dresser drawers wondering what to wear. Steve told him to wear something casual and that denim was fine. 

He still wanted to wear a nice, simple dress shirt, nothing flashy; not that he had anything remotely fitting that description. Finally deciding on a gray dress shirt, Bucky paired it with black denim jeans and black leather ankle boots. He would throw on his dark gray distressed leather jacket and gray herringbone wool blend newsboy cap when it was time to leave. 

He also decided on a light wool sapphire blue scarf because the evenings had been unusually cooler than normal and he wasn’t sure if they were walking to their destination, taking the subway, or a bit of both. It was mid-September after all. 

The intercom buzzed. Bucky quickly walked over to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Bucky. It’s Steve.”

“One sec and I’ll buzz you in.”

Bucky’s heart beat a little faster with the knowledge that Steve would be appearing at his door shortly. Taking a deep breath, he went to the bathroom to check himself in the mirror. He heard the sound of someone knocking on the door.

Bucky opened the door to find Steve smiling, holding a small, simple bouquet of daisies and three dwarf sunflowers. Bucky stood speechless at the gesture.

Steve held them out for him to take. “They’re for you, if you were wondering,” he said.

Bucky smiled as he took them. “I’ve never been given flowers before.”

“No? Never?”

Bucky realized Steve was still standing in the hallway. “What am I doing? Please come in. I’m just going to find something to put these flowers in. You don’t have to take off your coat or boots. I’ll be ready in a couple of minutes.”

Bucky scrounged through the kitchen cabinets in search of something to hold the flowers. He found an empty and clean pickle jar that did the trick. After placing the flowers on the dinette table, Bucky watched Steve inspecting the bookcase which was full of his books.

“Are all of these books yours?”

“They are. Scott has fewer books than me so his books are in his bedroom.”

“I see. You like science fiction and fantasy books.”

“I do. There’s nothing like visiting a different world for a couple of hours before bed.”

“I like fiction and looking through travel books that have a ton of photos.” Steve turned to look at Bucky. “This is a nice building. Good location. You seem to be walking distance to a lot of things.”

“I am. It’s a nice little spot.”

This was the first time Bucky took a good look at Steve. What he was seeing made him drool. Steve wore a blue dress shirt that was almost the same colour as Bucky’s scarf. He paired it with dark gray denim jeans, gray leather lace-up boots and a red-brown three-quarter length biker jacket. His clean-shaven face was covered with a touch of scruff. It was a good look. He was willing to bet that Steve looked downright mouth-watering with a beard.

“Is everything alright?” Steve asked.

“Excuse me?”

Steve smirked. “You were staring at me. I’m just wondering if something was wrong. Maybe I didn’t do up my fly before I left my place.”

Naturally, Bucky quickly checked to see if Steve’s fly was undone. It wasn’t.

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Bucky replied. “I was noticing how good you looked.”

Steve grinned. “I could say the same for you too. Your shirt brings out your eyes.”

Bucky blushed. “Uh, thanks,” he said, grabbing his jacket and his newsboy cap.

“Oh, you don’t need to wear the cap. I have a helmet for you”

Bucky stopped, feeling slightly confused. “What? A helmet? Where are we going?”

“I rode my motorcycle here. I brought an extra helmet along for you. We’re going to a restaurant on the Bowery.”

Bucky’s eyes widened with delight. “Fuck yeah, I’m gonna ride a motorcycle!”

Steve chuckled. “I’m glad you approve of my transportation choices.”

“I am one hundred percent behind your transportation choices, especially when a motorcycle is one of your choices. Let’s go.”

• • • • •

Steve navigated his Harley Davidson Heritage Classic along the city streets. Bucky loved the sound of the purring engine vibrating between his legs. He thought having his arms wrapped around Steve’s waist was the perfect way to travel. It made him think about spending a day with Steve traveling outside of the city on the motorcycle, exploring the rural roads. Upstate New York was pretty in the Fall; that would be something worth planning in the future.

Twenty minutes later, they reached the Lower East Side just off the Bowery. Steve parked the motorcycle in a lot set aside specifically for the two-wheeled beasts. 

“The restaurant is about seven minutes from here,” Steve explained. 

“Which restaurant are we going to?”

“The Savored One. I made a reservation a couple of days ago.”

Bucky had heard about this restaurant before but never found the time or a reason to take anybody there. Clint had taken Nat to the restaurant numerous times when they were dating. Now, that they were living together and practically married (minus the paperwork), they still had date nights there. It was one of Nat’s favorite restaurants. Bucky briefly wondered if it could be the same for himself and Steve. But he knew he was jumping ahead of himself. He wanted to see how the first date with Steve would turn out and go from there.

Entering the restaurant, Bucky was struck by how beautiful and rustic the place was. The tall ceilings provided a sense of space while the actual physical space offered intimacy.

A hostess greeted them and led them to their table which was tucked away in a corner of the main dining area. Bucky could see everything from their intimate location. 

“I’m impressed,” Bucky commented as he and Steve sat down.

“Is this your first time here?”

“Yeah. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this place from Clint and Nat and from a couple of the other teachers at the school. Have you been here before?”

“No, this is my first time here too,” Steve admitted. “Nat suggested this place.”

“Well, this place is one of her favorite restaurants.” Bucky thought for a moment and chuckled.

Steve gave him a curious look. “Care to share what you were laughing about?”

“I just realized Nat is responsible for us meeting.”

Steve paused for a moment before smiling again. “I wouldn’t put it past her to orchestrate a way for us to meet.”

“But would she actually go to all that effort to get us to meet ‘by chance?’ ”

“She might. Her heart is in the right place though. She and Clint are very happy. She wants me and Sam to find our happiness.”

“Has she tried setting Sam up on blind dates?”

“She has. Sam went along with it but nothing ever went beyond the first date. That annoyed Nat because she thought all the women were compatible for Sam.”

“So, she’s given up.”

“She’s giving it a rest. She might start searching again. I don’t know how far she’ll get. Sam’s married to his work at the moment.”

“From the one time that I met him, I got the impression Sam knows what he wants in a partner and when he finds that person, he’ll do anything to make it work. I know I would.”

“I’d say that’s an accurate assessment, Buck.”

Bucky liked that Steve shortened his nickname. “We should probably look at the menu,” he suggested with a smile. 

After perusing the menu, Steve ordered a bottle of Malbec-Tempranillo and a charcuterie board as a starter. For the entrée, Bucky selected the wild mushroom risotto with roasted duck breast while Steve opted for the braised lamb shanks on polenta with roasted eggplant and baby carrots.

“So, where should we start?” Steve asked as he poured the wine into their glasses.

“Maybe just ask whatever comes to mind or has been on our minds,” Bucky suggested. “Maybe do a version of ‘twenty questions’?”

“That sounds like fun. Let’s make a toast first.” Steve raised his glass. “To whatever the future holds for us.”

Bucky smiled, liking how Steve was specific about who the toast was directed at. He raised his glass. “To whatever the future holds for us,” he said, repeating Steve’s words.

The wine went down Bucky’s throat smooth as silk. He could taste plums and chocolate in the earthy blend. He loved the choice. He quickly looked at the label, hoping he would remember the label or vineyard long enough to write it down the next morning.

“You like the wine?” Steve asked. He was looking relaxed, settling into the atmosphere of the place. 

Soft contemporary classical music flowed out of the restaurant’s sound system, just loud enough to be heard over the general hum of hushed conversations and the clinking of cutlery.

“I do. Very much. I’m not sure if I’m going to remember the name but I’m gonna try.”

“I’ll ask the first question if you don’t mind,” Steve smiled gently.

“I don’t mind at all.”

“Alright. I’ll start with the basics. Do you have any siblings?”

“I have a twin sister. Her name is Becca.”

That little fact piqued Steve’s interest. “You’re a twin?”

“I am. I’m five minutes older and I love reminding her about that fact whenever we get on each other’s nerves. I did that a lot when we were growing up. Sometimes I still do it now.”

“But you’re close, right? It’s my understanding that twins have a secret language between them that most people don’t have even with their closest friends or family.”

“Yeah, we’re pretty close. How can you not be when you grew beside that person inside your mother’s womb. We got on each other’s nerves because we always knew what buttons to push. We’re still very close even though we’re doing our own thing now. As for the secret language thing, that might be true about us but I’ve never really examined it to confirm that Becca and I are like that. Honestly, we were each other’s best friend coming right out of the womb. We have our separate set of friends but we’ll always have each other’s backs.”

Bucky loved how interested Steve seemed to be. It seemed like he was hanging onto every word that came out of his mouth.

“So, what does your sister do for a living?”

“Becca’s a musician. She plays the piano. She went to Juilliard. She’s in an all-women jazz trio that she started about three years ago. She’s touring right now. They started in Florida a couple of weeks ago. They have gigs along the East Coast so they’re making their way back here. What about you? Any siblings?”

“I’m afraid I’m an only child,” Steve replied. “I do remember asking them if I was going to get a brother or sister. I must have been five or six. I don’t know why I remember that but I do.”

“Were you feeling lonely?”

“I don’t recall feeling lonely. I was too young to understand what loneliness was. Maybe I was just bored. Whatever it was, I know I wanted a little brother or sister.”

“Do you remember what your parents would tell you whenever you asked for a sibling?”

“I remember my father telling me that he and mom were thinking about it. I’m not sure if he was placating me or if they were actually working on it.”

Bucky caught the small grimace on his face. “What was that for?”

“What was what for?”

“You made a face.” 

“Well, the image of my parents trying to make a baby kinda popped into my head, and uh, it was something I didn’t want to imagine.”

Bucky laughed as he took another sip of his wine.

“To be honest, I’d rather think about burying myself inside you,” Steve stated with a slight growl.

With his lips still on the wine glass, Bucky stared at him silently, surprised and aroused by Steve’s forwardness.

Steve shrugged his shoulders and bit his lower lip. 

Placing the glass back on the table, Bucky continued staring at Steve who merely smiled. The next sexually-charged minute consisted of raised questioning eyebrows, smirks, and knowing looks. The standoff ended when the server came by with the charcuterie board. Steve thanked the server as the board was placed in the center of the table. He waited for Bucky to speak again.

Bucky arched an eyebrow. “That’s quite the incendiary salvo you lobbed at me. How am I supposed to process that? We haven’t had dinner yet. We haven’t even kissed.”

Steve chuckled. “Well, I felt compelled to express what I’d like to eventually happen. If I put it out there, maybe it’ll come true.”

“On a first date?” Regardless of how hot Steve was, there was no way Bucky was going to put out on the first date. 

“No, that’s moving a little fast,” replied Steve. “It might as well be a hook up and I don’t want that.”

Bucky liked his response. “So, second date?”

Steve shrugged. “Whenever you feel comfortable and safe with me,” he replied. “I’m not pressuring you. We could go on a hundred dates and if we don’t have mind-blowing sex until our one hundred and tenth date, I’m totally fine with it. I’m a patient man. I just want you to know that when it happens, you won’t regret it.”

Bucky shook his head and smiled as he cut a piece of brie cheese and popped it into his mouth. He already felt safe with Steve. “I can assure you, it won’t take me a hundred dates to come around to the idea of having mind-blowing sex with you.” He paused to look at the food. “Have some pickled baby onions, I bet they’re good.”

Steve laughed, putting a couple of slices of prosciutto and a piece of manchego cheese on a baguette slice. “Alright, I’ll stop making incendiary remarks. For now. Getting back to your family, what do your parents do for a living?”

“My dad is a veterinarian and mom is a piano teacher. Her piano students come to the house for lessons. Becca gets her talent from mom.”

“Did she teach Becca?”

“She taught us both. We even passed the Grade 8 piano exam. Becca completed it a couple of years before she went to Juilliard. It’s a prerequisite for getting into any post-secondary music program.”

“You play the piano too? Wow. You were never interested enough to get a degree?”

“No, I never thought about having a career in music. It was never on my radar. And I actually prefer the acoustic guitar. More portable. I love music. I play for the love and fun of it.”

Steve stared at him and shook his head. “You are blowing my mind. You’re so fucking talented.”

“Blowing your mind… is that a precursor to blowing you?” Bucky teased.

Steve leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. “You can do anything you want to me,” he replied in a low voice. “I’m up for anything and everything you suggest.”

Bucky grinned at Steve’s simmering desire for him. It thrilled him that he could elicit that reaction from him. But as much as he wanted nothing more than to have Steve’s hands and mouth all over his body and ride the handsome man’s cock, he didn’t want to fall into bed with the firefighter on the first date. He wasn’t going to break that rule for anyone, not even for Steve.

“I think we should get back to our ‘twenty questions’,” Bucky suggested. “Before things get out of hand.”

Steve sighed. “You’re cockblocking us.” It was more a statement than a question.

“I am. I was serious about not ending the night in a hot, sweaty, naked mess.”

“I respect that,” Steve said with sincerity. “I just hope you don’t mind if we keep flirting while we get to know each other though.”

Bucky grinned. “Flirt away. I’m not saying ‘no’ to that. What’s your next question, Mr. Rogers?”

“You mentioned your father is a vet but is he musically inclined as well?”

Bucky chuckled. “No, he’s not musical at all. He loves listening to my mother play the piano but he doesn’t play any instruments himself and he’s a terrible singer.”

Steve was amused. “Does he work with small animals?”

“He started out working with large animals like horses and cattle but he mainly works with small animals and birds now,” Bucky replied. “He has his own clinic and a small team of vets who work with him.”

“Did you grow up with a lot of pets in the house?”

“No, but we fostered animals until Becca and I went to college.”

“What animals did you foster?”

“We mainly fostered kittens. There were a few puppies. We did have budgies and a couple of cockatiels. Did you have a pet when you were growing up?”

“I never had a pet growing up. It wasn’t something I was interested in. I was more interested in reading and drawing. My ma is an artist. She’s well-known in the art community. She’s always made time to teach in community art classes and workshops. She enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. She’s currently an adjunct professor of drawing at the New York Academy of Art.”

Bucky was impressed. “What medium does she work in?” 

“She works a lot in gouache, ink, and acrylics but her first love is pencil and charcoal. My parents met when she had her first solo art show after she got her Master’s in Fine Art.”

“Was he an art connoisseur?”

“No, he wasn’t. He was out celebrating with friends that night because he passed his exams to become a firefighter.”

This informative tidbit surprised and made Bucky smile.

“He came across the show by accident,” Steve continued. “They were walking by the gallery. He saw her through the window. He told his friend he saw the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with, and made a beeline into the gallery. Ma says she spotted him right away because he wasn’t exactly dressed to attend an opening night. He looked a little self-conscious. So, she went to talk to him. He admitted he didn’t realize he was underdressed for the occasion. He told her he saw her from the street and wanted to meet her. She said he was very bashful and that completely charmed her. The rest is history and here I am.”

“You’re following in your father’s footsteps,” Bucky commented. “That’s really cool. What does he think about that?”

“I don’t know what he would have thought because he died when I was ten years old.”

Bucky suddenly felt bad for assuming Steve’s father was alive.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “That was insensitive.”

“Buck, it’s alright,” he said. “You couldn’t have known he’s dead. His name was Joseph Christopher Rogers. He died on the job. He got caught in a backdraft that killed him and two other crew members. He was the lieutenant at his firehouse which happens to be the same one I’m stationed at.”

This was a lot of information for Bucky to absorb. He couldn’t imagine growing up without his father. It seemed unimaginable, but that was Steve’s childhood reality. 

“Wow, I’m not sure what to say. I want to ask how it feels to be stationed at your father’s old stomping grounds but I’m not sure if I should.”

Steve regarded him fondly. “It’s alright to ask that question. I have some memories of going to the station for a Christmas party for the firefighters’ families. There was always someone dressed as Santa handing out little packages of homemade cookies and presents. 

“I have to admit when I found that was where I would be stationed, I wasn’t sure if it would feel weird. It seemed like I was literally following in my father’s footsteps. Ma was so proud of me, but she was a little conflicted. She had to work through a lot of feelings after Pa died. I wasn’t old enough to help or understand. I was sad, angry, and confused at the time. I know in the back of her mind, she’s worried that I might meet the same fate as Pa.”

Bucky had to admit that he was thinking the same thing as Steve’s mother. But he understood it was a risk that had to be taken; it was part of the job. He surmised that was what had her conflicted. He knew he would be conflicted too.

“But when I walked into Rescue 2 on my first official day as a member of the FDNY, it felt right. It might sound otherworldly, but I felt Pa’s presence, like he was welcoming me. Sometimes I find myself still missing him. I wish he was alive to see me become a firefighter. I wish he was here to grow old with Ma.”

For a moment, no words were exchanged between the two men. Bucky caught a glimpse of the pain a ten-year-old boy experienced after losing a father. He understood how important it was that Steve was willing to share his story about his father with him. This wasn’t the kind of story one would casually throw out for just anyone to hear. He was touched and honored.

“Thank you for talking about your father,” Bucky said softly. “I know he would have been proud of you. If he’s looking down on you right now, he’s definitely proud of you.”

Steve nodded quickly as he grabbed his glass of wine. “It’s been a while since I talked about him with anyone, even with Ma. Thank you for listening.” He took a long sip of his wine.

Bucky smiled gently. “You’re welcome. Did you always plan to be a firefighter like your dad?”

“Yeah, I did. I even told him on more than one occasion that I wanted to be just like him.”

“And what did he say?”

“He told me I had to get good grades and grow up first because I was too young to wear his gear and helmet. I was eight when I told him for the first time that I wanted to be a firefighter.”

“So the kinesiology degree is a backup plan in case something happened and you couldn’t become a firefighter?”

“Yeah, that was the plan. It’s still a viable plan if anything happens to me that would prevent me from continuing to serve as a firefighter. I need to be practical and realistic about it. I’m not invincible.”

Bucky knew Steve had intentionally left out his father’s death as another reason for having a plan B.

“What about you?” Steve asked. “Did you always want to be a teacher?”

“I didn’t know I wanted to be a teacher until I finished my first year of college. It wasn’t much trouble to officially move from the Bachelor of Art program to the education one. I was inspired when I was listening to my mother teach her piano students. Most of the time I wasn’t around when she was teaching but I was in the kitchen one day and I listened to the way she helped a student troubleshoot a section in one of Chopin’s compositions. I think it was an étude. It was like a switch had flipped and I knew I wanted to help educate others.”

“So why kindergarten teacher?”

“I’ve always enjoyed being around kids. They’re so much fun to be around at that age. Yeah, they can be a handful but it’s gratifying to help lay down the foundation for a positive schooling experience. They all want to learn and explore. And it’s been fascinating to see them interact in a structured way with others who aren’t family members.”

“It sounds like a ten-month-long experiment.”

“Yeah. In a way, it is.” Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky noticed their server walking towards them with their meals. “The food is coming.”

Steve looked up at the smiling server while Bucky sliced another piece of manchego cheese for himself.

“Here you go.” The server looked at Steve. “You ordered the lamb shanks and polenta, correct?”

“Yes, I did.”

She turned her attention to Bucky. “And sir, yours is the wild mushroom risotto with the duck breast?”

“Indeed, it is,” Bucky replied in anticipation.

After the server left, both men stared briefly at their food. The aromas left the men salivating.

“This smells really good,” Steve remarked.

“Yeah, the presentation is great. Almost too pretty to eat.”

“Nah, I’m too hungry to leave it alone. Let’s dig in.”

• • • • •

Steve smiled to himself. He loved having the handsome man pressed up against his back as he navigated the late night traffic back to Bucky’s apartment. The dinner had surpassed his expectations which he had tried to keep low. He merely wanted to be entertaining enough to make Bucky agree to a second date.

The conversation had been a collection of sobering, funny, and flirty (bordering on horny) discussions. They laughed and rolled their eyes at each other in equal measure, and he was struck by Bucky’s capacity for empathy. He knew after talking about his father that he wanted many more dates with the kindergarten teacher. He needed to send Nat a text thanking her for recommending the restaurant because everything was perfect for his first date with Bucky. 

Arriving at Bucky’s place, Steve parked his bike near the entrance of the apartment. He removed his helmet and remained on the bike as Bucky dismounted and tucked his helmet into the saddlebag.

Bucky smiled. “Thanks for the dinner and conversation. The food was fantastic and the company was even better.”

“I think I should be the one thanking you for agreeing to go out for dinner with me.”

“Would you like to come in for a cup of decaf or a glass of water?”

Steve could tell Bucky was reluctant to end the date. To be honest, he felt the same way. 

“Didn’t we agree not to tempt each other that way on the first date?”

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I’d like to live dangerously when you’re around. I’ve had enough wine to have my resolve turn into jelly.”

Steve appreciated and liked Bucky’s slightly inebriated honesty. “I’d love to go in for a coffee,” he replied. “But I’m working tomorrow.”

“And if you didn’t have to go to work in the morning?”

“I’d still take a pass because if I went up with you I wouldn’t leave until the morning. I’m respecting your first date rule.”

Bucky gave him a wry smile. “So, now it’s your turn to cockblock us.”

Steve smiled ruefully. “Yeah, but I want you to know I’m doing it with great regret. I’d love nothing more than to give us the opportunity to wreck each other. But tonight was perfect. Next time, perhaps?”

Bucky grinned as he stepped closer to Steve and spoke into his ear. “I think next time could be a definite possibility.”

Steve turned his head to gaze into Bucky’s eyes, their noses almost touching, breathing in each other’s air. Enjoying the closeness of their bodies, they didn’t move for at least half a minute. 

“Is it alright if I kiss you?” Steve asked.

“It wouldn’t be a perfect night if you didn’t.”

Steve placed his hand on the small of Bucky’s back and kissed him. Bucky’s lips were warm, wet, and pliant. They tasted of wine and the chocolate lava cake he ate for dessert. Steve groaned, then growled when he heard Bucky sigh and felt his body melt against his. They continued kissing until Bucky reluctantly pulled back.

“I should let you go.” He looked sullen. “You’re working tomorrow.”

“Should we set a second date?” Steve offered. “It would give us something to look forward to.”

Bucky thought for a moment. “Are you on duty next Friday?”

“I am, but I have the weekend off though.”

“The weekend off? Yeah, that would work.”

“Saturday?”

“Yeah, Saturday.”

“Good. We’ll figure out the details later.”

Bucky leaned in to capture his lips once more. “Have a safe trip home.”

Steve couldn’t stop grinning. “I will. Sleep well.”

“I will.” Bucky turned and headed for the entrance.

Putting on his helmet, Steve watched Bucky enter the building before he started the engine and drove away.


	3. I’m in heaven every time I look at you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Fire Safety Day, and Steve and the crew of Rescue 2 head to Triskelion Elementary School — the same school where Bucky works — for a day-long visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! We have chapter three ready to amuse you :) Thank you for all the lovely comments and kudos. They are always appreciated. The next chapter drops Monday. Have a great weekend and happy reading!

After entering the firehouse and hearing a chorus of ‘good morning’ from the crew, Steve heard a voice bellow from above as he yawned.

“Steve, where’s my coffee?”

He looked up to find Thor on top of the engine sorting through some equipment. 

“Isn’t there a pot brewing in the kitchen?” Steve asked.

“There is, but what you have in your hand looks more interesting,” Thor smiled.

“Sorry, it’s for Carol. She wanted something with a little more kick than the regular brew.”

“Then ask her if she wants one of those fancy coffee machines for the station. I’m sure everyone would pitch in some money to buy one.”

“I’ll be sure to ask her that when I drop this off.”

• • • • •

Steve knocked on Carol’s open door. “Good morning. I have your caffé latte with extra espresso.”

Carol looked up from her laptop, smiled, and made a grabby hands gesture for the hot beverage. “Good morning, Steve. Thank you for picking this up for me. The regular stuff wasn’t doing it for me this morning.” She quickly sipped the latte and groaned with relief. “That fucking hits the spot,” she sighed.

Steve placed a small paper bag on her desk, yawning again. “That’s a cherry cheese danish. It just came out of the oven when I was getting your coffee.”

Carol quickly picked up the bag, opened it, pulled out the baked good, and sunk her teeth into it. “God, it’s so good when it’s fresh like this,” she mumbled. “Thank you. You didn’t have to buy it, but I appreciate it.”

“Not a problem. You’re always doing little things for the crew, so it’s only right to return the favor. Oh, by the way, one of the guys asked if you wanted one of those fancy coffee machines that makes espressos and foamy shit for the station. They’re willing to put in some money for one since they know you occasionally fancy something more than the regular brew.”

“If they want to pool together the funds to purchase one, they can start looking at options. We’ll collectively choose one and toss in our share of the cost for it.” Carol smiled. “You’re a good man and a great lieutenant, Steve. You know you’re gonna make a great captain one day. You won’t be working as my right hand forever.”

“Are you planning on retiring?” teased Steve. “You’re not that much older than me. You’re the youngest captain, male or female, in the FDNY.”

“Regardless of my achievements, don’t you have aspirations to become captain of your own firehouse with your own crew? You’re more than capable of running a station.”

“I like where I am. I love it here. My crewmates are great. You put together a great team and you’re a great captain. Why would I trade that in for more paperwork, politics, and bureaucracy?”

“You’re leaving out the fact that your father worked out of this station. Is that one of the reasons you haven’t moved up the ladder?”

Steve knew it was one of the main reasons he hadn’t entertained the idea of becoming a captain. Being a part of Rescue 2 made him feel closer to his father. But it was also true that the idea of becoming part of the administrative infrastructure figuratively gave him hives.

“I’ll admit that’s one of the reasons, but I became a firefighter because I believe in being in service to the community and being in the trenches with my crewmates. Pushing paper, playing politics, being an administrator doesn’t motivate me. That’s not my destination.”

“What is your destination then?” 

Steve thought for a moment. “I’m enjoying the journey right now. When I figure out what the destination is, I’ll let you know.” He yawned a third time.

Carol scrutinized him for a moment. “Did you have a big night last night? You’re usually not this tired in the mornings.”

“I, ah… had a date last night,” Steve confessed.

A sly smile crept over Carol’s face. “Really? That’s great. Was it with that guy you met at the farmers’ market last weekend?”

“Yes.”

“You move fast.”

“It wasn’t that fast but we were… highly motivated.”

“How did the date go? And what’s his name? Unless you’d prefer to keep it a secret for now.”

“His name is Bucky, and the date was really great,” Steve replied with a grin.

“Nice to see someone put a smile on your face and be the reason you’re yawning this morning.”

“I didn’t spend the night just to be clear. It was only the first date. I’m not a cad. We just went on a date and I was a proper gentleman,” Steve fibbed slightly.

“Wow, you’re playing the long game.”

Steve chuckled and shook his head. He could feel his cheeks get unusually warm. “I’m not playing any game, Captain Danvers. I’m handling it like I’ve always handled things — like a responsible adult.”

Carol laughed. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered. That shade of pink looks nice on you; highlights your cheek bones.”

“Carol, stop it,” he sighed with a smile.

“Seriously, I think it’s great. I know the last relationship you had turned into a disaster. I wasn’t sure if you ever wanted to try again.”

“I know you’re looking out for me, and I appreciate it.” He paused. “I think Bucky is different. We were like a house on fire last night.”

“Pardon the pun, right?”

Steve chuckled. “Yeah, pardon the pun. It was so easy to talk to him. Even when we would get awkward with each other, it was okay.”

“You were dorky together?”

“Yeah, we were dorks.”

“I think my teeth are going to rot and fall out,” she smiled.

“That’s not tooth-rotting. I don’t do tooth-rotting shit.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Oh, before you leave, I just want you to know that we’ve been assigned a school for Fire Safety Day this Friday.”

“Great. It’s always fun to talk to school kids.”

“Indeed. Let me see which school it is.” 

Steve watched Carol stare at her laptop screen. Her eyes lit up as she spotted the information she was searching for. “It’s Triskelion Elementary School,” she announced.

Steve grinned. “One of my oldest friends is the assistant principal there.” He decided not to tell Carol that Bucky worked there too, knowing he would be teased mercilessly by Carol and the crew if word got out. 

“I thought Sam was your oldest friend,” Carol noted.

“He’s my best friend, there’s a difference. I’ve known Nat three months longer than Sam.”

“Sam’s practically one of your oldest friends. Three months is nothing. Don't play semantics with me, buster,” Carol replied with a grin. “Now, get outta here, Lieutenant Rogers.”

“Yes, ma’am. Enjoy the danish.”

• • • • •

Unwrapping his breakfast burrito, Bucky couldn’t wait to take a bite of it. As he sunk his teeth into it, Nat walked into the staff room with her empty mug.

“Good morning, Bucky. Happy Monday.” Nat poured the freshly brewed coffee into her mug.

“Morning, Nat,” Bucky mumbled.

“Isn’t it kind of rude to talk with your mouth full?” she inquired with a smirk.

Bucky swallowed his food. “The last time I checked a Miss Manners column, it was still considered rude. I’m just hungry, you can ignore me. How was your weekend?”

“Very relaxing. Clint and I stayed home and puttered around the brownstone. We wanted to have a quiet weekend where we weren’t running around doing errands and/or renovating a room. How did your date with Steve go?”

Bucky narrowed his eyes. “I thought you would have asked him already.”

“He won’t tell me anything. I’m not privy to that kind of information.”

“And what makes you think that I would offer up that information.”

“Maybe you don’t keep your cards as close to your chest as he does.”

Bucky grinned. “You thought wrong. Why so interested in how our date went? You got a bet going with Clint?”

“I don’t do bets, Bucky,” she smiled.

“You don’t make bets unless you know it’s gonna go in your favor.”

“Touché, Mr. Barnes. I know you two and I think you guys are a great match, that’s all.”

“Oh my God, you’re a romantic at heart. A true softie.”

“All lies, Mr. Barnes,” Nat replied, offering a mock dismissive tone.

“All I’m going to say is that the date went very well. End of summary.”

“Fine, since the two of you are going to be tight-lipped about it, I should inform you who will be coming by this Friday for Fire Safety Day.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. It’s coming up fast. Which station is coming to do presentations?”

“Rescue 2 out of Brooklyn, Crown Heights,” Nat replied. “That’s Steve’s firehouse.”

Bucky halted before he bit into his burrito. “Oh… interesting.”

“Oh, it’s more than interesting. This is going to be fun!” 

Bucky noticed the glint in her eyes. “I’m going to assume that Steve knows about this?”

“He probably knows by now if he didn’t already. As usual, we’re doing a potluck for our visitors. I trust you’ll be making something for the occasion?”

“Of course. Is there a list of what everyone is going to bring on Friday?”

“I’m going to send out an email today and everyone is going to reply with their dish. If you make your Irish cream cheesecake, I know no one will make dessert. Everyone loves your cheesecake. It’ll also impress Steve and his crew.”

“I’d like to keep the fact that Steve and I are seeing each other quiet, just until I know there’s something solid between us.”

Nat gave him an understanding look. “I appreciate that you’re being cautious, but like I said before, you won’t find a better person than Steve. I don’t think you need to be over-cautious with him.”

Bucky knew he didn’t need to be cautious around Steve. If anything, all he wanted to do was to get to know him better. And he wanted Steve to know everything about his life before they met. He felt he needed to be cautious because he had been disappointed before. He knew he was partly responsible for that because he always wanted to see the good in people, and unfortunately, there were individuals who saw that trait as a reason to take advantage of him. He had learned how to spot the questionable characters and how to deal with them if there was no way to steer clear of them.

“I know, Nat. We’re gonna nurture whatever it is that’s happening between us. Take things slow.”

“Take things slow? Good luck with that.”

Bucky arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

“Steve can be intense.”

Bucky paused for a moment, remembering the sexual tension that flared more than once during their date. “I know he can be intense, but I can be intense too.”

“You two have very different kinds of intensity,” observed Nat. “But I think you’ll complement each other really well.”

“If you say so.” Bucky hoped it was true.

“Are you prepared to see him in his fire gear? Is he prepared to see you in your natural habitat?”

Bucky laughed. “He knows I’m a school teacher. Why do you make me sound like a woodland creature? Natural habitat? Seriously?”

“You’d make a very cute woodland creature. Steve would catch you and take you home with him.”

Bucky’s cheeks grew suddenly hot at the thought of Steve taking him home. It didn’t go unnoticed by Nat.

“Bucky, the kids are gonna be arriving in half an hour. Get your mind out of Steve’s pants,” she teased.

“Nat, I really didn’t need you putting images into my head.”

“You’re the one with the vivid imagination,” she laughed. “I’ll leave you alone to finish your breakfast. I’ll see you later. And by the way, I’m very happy to hear your date went well.”

• • • • • 

_Bucky: Hey, I heard from Nat that Rescue 2 will be visiting for Fire Safety Day :)_

_Steve: Hey! Yeah that’s right. Found out on Saturday. Was going to tell u but then I thought it would be better if u heard it from her._

_Bucky: That’s ok. She told me this morning. Ur coming for the presentation, right? I get to see u before our date on Saturday :)_

_Steve: Yeah, I’ll be there. It’ll be great to see u. I promise to behave :)_

_Bucky: LOL. Sure u will._

_Steve: I’m gonna be in ur house. I’m a guest. I’ll behave. I swear :)_

• • • • •

With Steve riding shotgun, May easily parked the fire engine in front of Triskelion Elementary. Thor, Val, and Peter eagerly hopped off the vehicle while Steve and May climbed out of the cab. 

Steve and the crew arrived forty-five minutes before the start of school. He wanted to ensure the crew had time to settle in before spending the day talking about the life of a firefighter.

“Val, you have the books in the duffle bag, right?” May asked.

“I do,” Val replied.

Steve furrowed his brows. “What books?”

“We pooled some money together for a few firefighter-themed books for the kindergarten kids,” May replied. “We thought their teacher would appreciate some new reading material for the kids to look through and discover. Have you forgotten we always do this for Fire Safety Day?”

“Oh yeah, that’s right,” replied Steve. “I forgot.” 

He should have remembered that they always brought books for the kindergarten kids whenever they did educational visits. Steve loved the initiative the team had. 

The sun shone and the air was crisp as Steve and the crew walked up to Nat who was leaning against the railing with a mug of coffee in her hand. She had sent an email to Carol and Steve a couple of days ago to inform them where the engine could be parked.

“Good morning,” greeted Nat. “How is everyone doing this morning?”

“We’re doing great, Nat,” Steve replied with a smile. “I should introduce you to everyone helping out today.” He gestured to the crew. “Nat, this is Thor, Val, May, and Peter. Carol, who is our captain, couldn’t make it today because of previously scheduled meetings, sends you and the school her regards. Guys, this is Natasha Romanoff, Triskelion’s assistant principal. She also happens to be one of my closest friends.”

This little piece of information had the crew buzzing with interest.

“It’s nice to finally put a face to the name,” said May. “He’s mentioned you in previous conversations and it’s always nice to attach a face to the name whenever he talks about his friends.”

“Yes, I would agree,” Nat commented. “It’ll be good to add faces to your names whenever he talks about work. Have any of you had coffee yet?”

Everyone answered in the negative.

“Well, you’re in luck. Follow me. I’ll take you to the staff room where there is a fresh pot of coffee waiting. We also have a water kettle if any of you would prefer tea or hot chocolate. There are some croissants and danishes for anyone who is hungry.”

Everyone followed Nat. Steve could hear them mumbling how pleased they were to hear that they were getting fed. Usually, they brought along granola bars for breakfast. Steve knew Nat had something planned so he had suggested to the crew that they could probably skip bringing breakfast with them for the Fire Safety Day presentation.

“They all like to start the day with coffee, Nat,” Steve stated. “They’re easy to please.”

“But we do like to drink something else other than coffee when the afternoon rolls around,” Val added. “May and I love tea in the afternoon and evening when there’s a little down time at the station. Thor goes for iced tea or a sports drink and Peter has to have his hot chocolate with marshmallows.”

“I’m afraid the hot chocolate we have doesn’t include marshmallows,” Nat said apologetically. “But Peter is more than welcome to try what we have if he wants.”

“I don’t mind if there aren’t any marshmallows, Ms. Romanoff. I’d love to try some. Maybe over the lunch hour?”

Nat opened the door to the empty staff room. “The lunch hour would be perfect. I’d also like to inform everyone that for lunch the teachers and staff are putting together a potluck and you are our guests.”

The crew, including Steve, were surprised by the generosity. Steve had never heard Nat talk about having potlucks during previous Fire Safety Days, but then it never crossed his mind that staff at a school would show their appreciation this way.

“Steve, is there a way we can keep coming back here for Fire Safety Day?” Thor asked. 

Nat laughed.

“I don’t know if that’s possible,” Steve replied. “I don’t think Carol has any say regarding which firehouse is assigned to which school for this event. You’d have to ask her about that.”

“Is there going to be enough food?” Peter asked hesitantly. “I mean that’s five extra people to feed and some of us have healthy appetites.”

Everyone chuckled at the question but Steve knew it was a legitimate question considering how much the crew worked hard to stay healthy and strong for the work they were required to do. The firehouse gym never sat idle for more than a day. He and Thor usually worked out together because they were each strong enough to spot each other whenever the workouts involved heavy weights and barbells.

“There will be plenty of food. We’ll have biodegradable food containers for any leftovers you might want to take back to the firehouse. Maybe something for Carol, perhaps?”

“Yeah, we can definitely put together something for the captain,” Val chimed in. “We should do that first before we dig in.” 

Everybody agreed with the sentiment as they lined up to pour some coffee into their paper cups.

“The croissants and danishes are over on that table,” Nat remarked, pointing to the large white pastry box sitting on the table closest to the counter where the coffee maker sat. 

“The teachers will be arriving in a few minutes with their dishes. The far table is where all the food will be. It most likely will spillover onto this table. We’ll have paper plates, cutlery and napkins sitting here.”

For a moment, Steve wondered what Bucky had made for the potluck. He had purposefully not mentioned the potluck, opting to have Nat spring it on the crew herself. 

During their text conversations, they had mentioned food and cooking. Steve learned that while he liked to cook quick simple meals, Bucky enjoyed putting a little more effort into his food. Bucky also loved to bake when he had the time. Steve was alright with making banana bread and pies with the help of frozen pie crusts but they were the only things he was interested in baking. He did try making shortbread cookies once. Unfortunately, they ended up burnt and inedible.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Nat introduced the fire crew to all the teachers that had arrived with their contributions to the potluck. One Grade 5 teacher, Mr. Phillips, brought in his crockpot which held his grandmother’s recipe for pulled pork. It had been cooking overnight and he quickly plugged it into an outlet to keep it warm until lunch.

The crew took a quick peek at the dishes and were salivating in anticipation. Steve noticed Bucky hadn’t arrived yet. He was becoming anxious at the thought of seeing him. He noticed Nat giving him a curious look before she gave him a smirk. Steve sighed and rolled his eyes at her.

The staff room door opened and in walked Bucky with two containers. Everybody looked up to see him walking towards the food-laden table. 

Steve’s heart beat faster at the sight of the man. Dressed in black jeans, a black and blue flannel plaid shirt with a brown three-quarter length oilskin coat, Bucky looked casually stunning. His chestnut brown hair was pulled back into a short ponytail. Steve wasn’t sure how he was going to keep it together with Bucky so close.

“Hi. Good morning,” said Bucky. His eyes landed on Steve first before he looked at everyone else. “I’m gonna take a wild guess and say you’re here for Fire Safety Day.”

“You look familiar,” Thor blurted out.

Steve stared at Thor, wondering if it was a good time to announce that he and Bucky were seeing each other while Bucky paused to look at the man. 

“Were you at the farmer’s market in Park Slope a while ago?” Bucky asked casually.

Thor looked at Steve, then looked back at Bucky. “Yeah, I was. I was there with Steve and Peter,” he replied, pointing at the two men. “We were fundraising for animal shelters. But I’m not sure if I saw you there.” Thor narrowed his eyes at Bucky. “Maybe I was thinking of someone who looks like you. My mistake. What do you have there?”

Steve could feel his shoulders relaxing. 

Bucky looked down at the containers in his hands. “This is dessert. They’re Irish cream cheesecakes cut into bite-size pieces. There’s a little bit of alcohol in them but not enough to get anyone drunk,” he replied, smiling. “That table looks full so I’ll just put them over here.”

“I hope this doesn’t come across as rude, but did you bake them yourself?” May asked. 

“I did,” Bucky smiled. “I like to bake when I can.”

“And everyone here loves it when he bakes his cheesecakes,” said Nat.

“I only make the cheesecakes three times a year,” Bucky added. “Before Christmas break, the end of the school year, and for Fire Safety Day. I experiment with the flavors. Last year I used amaretto for the cheesecakes.”

An image of Bucky in a kitchen making cheesecake abruptly appeared in Steve’s head. He wasn’t sure why his imagination conjured up the domestic scene but he found it undeniably appealing.

“Everyone, the baker extraordinaire is Bucky Barnes. He is our kindergarten teacher. Bucky, these are some of the members of Rescue 2 Brooklyn, Crown Heights. Steve, if you could introduce Bucky to your team, that would be great considering Mr. Barnes’ class will be the first one you’ll be visiting this morning.”

“Yes, of course.” Steve cleared his throat. “Mr. Barnes—”

“Please call me Bucky when we’re in here,” he smiled. “We can be formal once we leave this room.”

Steve bit his lower lip, appreciating Bucky’s attempt to make him more comfortable with the situation. “Alright Bucky. This is Thor, Peter, Val, and May.”

“Nice to meet you all,” smiled Bucky. “My class is excited about meeting all of you.”

• • • • •

Fifteen minutes after classes began, Nat led Steve and the rest of the crew down a short but wide hallway towards Bucky’s classroom.

“Curious to see what his classroom looks like?” Nat asked in a low voice just loud enough only for Steve to hear.

“I am.”

“He’s a great teacher,” Nat said in her normal voice. “He and the rest of the teachers and staff are the reasons we’ve been rated the top elementary school in the district. They’re passionate about teaching, the kids, and the community.”

Steve saw the two panes of large windows that belonged to the kindergarten classroom. He spied Bucky talking to the children who were quietly sitting cross-legged on the floor covered in brightly-colored interlocking foam tiles. Nat knocked on the door. Seeing her and the firefighters through the windows, Bucky spoke to the students, stood up, and walked over to let them in.

“Hi. Come in please,” Bucky said, smiling. “I have some students who are very excited to meet our visitors.” He turned around to address his young students. “Class, look who Assistant Principal Romanoff brought with her — the visitors I was telling you about yesterday before your parents came to pick you up.” The children stared at Steve and the crew.

“Firefighters!” one of the students called out. That was immediately followed by squeals and other students repeating the word themselves. All the adults smiled at their enthusiasm.

“Well, I think we have a very captivated audience,” observed Nat. “I’ll be back before recess to retrieve our guests, Mr. Barnes.”

Steve looked around the classroom to take in what Bucky’s work world resembled. At first glance, most people would think it was messy because the teaching tools Bucky used were large, loud, and colorful, but everything was organized. A mix of free-standing shelving units and partition walls separated the spaces specialized to stimulate the young minds. Not an inch of the classroom was wasted. 

To Steve’s immediate left were small desks and chairs facing a blackboard and a whiteboard. Beyond this space, on the other side of the shelves, were three large tables grouped together and two paper easels near the kitchen area. Along the short wall, he spotted a table for playing with Legos located underneath one of several windows that allowed for plenty of natural light to illuminate the room. 

In the opposite corner of the classroom was where all of the students were currently located. The area seemed to be a multi-purpose space where Bucky could conduct a variety of activities and lessons for the students to engage in. A whiteboard occupied a large portion of the wall in that space. 

One-quarter of the board was set aside for a Word of the Day which happened to be ‘firefighter.’ Steve wasn’t sure if the students could spell the word since it might be too many letters for them to work on, but being familiar with the shapes of the letters would help them recognize the word later on. Beside the whiteboard, anchor charts hung on rings that were attached to a stand constructed from white PVC pipe. The space included a window that looked out onto the school playground. Underneath the window were shelves that stored more clear plastic containers carrying toys and props for activities. 

Setting his gaze on the next space, Steve recognized it was a scaled-down version of a kitchen complete with a stove, fridge and sink. He wondered if the kitchen was ‘stocked’ with items such as kid-friendly canned goods and plastic fruit. 

The last space he noticed was the large reading area which was hard to ignore because of the jungle hut that occupied a good portion of the space. Covered with a faux dried grass roof, the hut incorporated one wall of bookshelves while a second wall consisted of a classroom window and two rows of cubicles used to store the cushions the students would use to sit on while they read. There were also three bean bag chairs located just beyond the hut’s perimeter. Again, the floor was covered with interlocking foam mats in a checkered pattern of light blue and yellow.

Based on the memories Steve had of his elementary school years, this was not what his kindergarten class resembled. There was much more to see if he had the time to explore but he and the crew were there for a purpose.

“Lieutenant Rogers?”

Startled, Steve stared at Bucky for a moment, then at the rest of the crew. They were smiling at him. “Uh, yes?”

The students giggled.

“Did you ask me a question? Because I wasn’t paying attention,” he sheepishly confessed.

Bucky smiled. “Yes, I was introducing everyone and was leaving you for last,” he replied. “But you didn’t hear me.”

“I’m sorry. I was looking at everything in the classroom and I’m always amazed at all the things that are in a kindergarten class. I kinda remember what my kindergarten classroom looked like, and it was nothing like this. I’m in awe of teachers and what they do, especially kindergarten teachers.”

A tinge of pink colored Bucky’s cheeks. “Thank you for recognizing teachers and what we do, Lieutenant Rogers. I appreciate hearing that.”

Steve loved the way Bucky blushed. “I’m only giving teachers the respect they deserve,” he smiled. “Before we begin our presentation, Val has a surprise for the class. It’s from everyone at Rescue 2.”

The students' expressions lit up with surprise and curiosity.

“Actually, we have a few surprises bundled into one,” Val said smiling as she walked over to Bucky with her duffle bag. “Mr. Barnes, the members of Rescue 2 wanted the students to continue learning about the job of a firefighter and fire safety after today.” Reaching into the duffle bag she presented four books to Bucky. “So, we have some books to add to your library.”

Bucky was surprised by the gesture. “Wow, thank you so much. This is incredibly generous of the firehouse. Class, look at what Rescue 2 gave us.” 

Revealing the book covers to the students, they gathered tightly together, excited to take a look at them.

Steve watched Bucky interact with his students. They were attentive, curious, and well-behaved. He was good with children. And yeah, he was probably becoming more enamoured with the man every time he saw him.

“Alright, class,” Bucky said, tucking the books under his arm. “Let’s sit down and listen to the fire crew from Rescue 2 talk about their job and fire safety.”

• • • • •

“This is a lot of food,” Peter commented as he surveyed the potluck spread. 

“Good thing you have an appetite, right?” Thor grinned.

“Yeah, I guess.” Peter picked up a paper plate, a fork and a spoon.

“You’ve never been shy about filling your plate, Peter,” May teased. “There’s no expectation to eat a little of everything you see.”

“I know, Aunt May,” Peter replied. “It’s just that they put together a lot of food for us. Even if all the teachers and staff filled their plates and had seconds, it looks like there will still be leftovers.”

“They’re very generous hosts,” she said. “Not every school does this. We lucked out this year. The students have been great.” 

Val and Nat walked up to the table. Val raised an empty food container for everyone to see. “I have a container for Carol courtesy of the good assistant principal here.” 

“Wonderful!” May enthused. “Let’s see what Carol would like to eat and fill it up.”

Val looked at the potluck. “Wow, this looks great. Good thing she doesn’t have any food allergies.”

Steve watched the crew fill their plates and chat with the teachers. It was always good for the members of the FDNY to interact with the community when it didn’t involve extinguishing a fire and a life and death situation.

“Hey, imagine seeing you here.”

Steve turned to find Bucky smiling at him. “Mr. Barnes, good to see you again. Your kindergarteners are very good listeners and very curious. They had a lot of questions for us.”

“They are inquisitive,” Bucky agreed. “They were good today. But tomorrow, their attention span could be extremely short.”

“Constantly keeping you on your toes?”

“Yes, they do. Nat is going to try to bring in a full-time assistant teacher to help me. I have eighteen students, but I think the class is only going to get larger. There’s room to add seven more students but that’s the most I can probably handle on my own before it starts to get overwhelming. An assistant would be really helpful in executing the curriculum. You’re not eating?”

Steve smiled at the simple question. “I will. I like to make sure the team gets fed first.”

Bucky picked up two paper plates and handed one of them to Steve. “Looking out for your team. I can appreciate and respect that. It looks like they’re filling their plates. Care to join me and take a closer look at what grub is up for grabs?”

“Absolutely.”

Taking a closer look at the potluck food, Steve found himself wanting a little of everything piled onto his plate. After filling his plate, Steve followed Bucky to an empty table. 

“This food looks great,” Steve remarked.

“Tastes better. Potlucks are a lot of fun,” said Bucky. “Some of the teachers are great cooks.”

“I’m looking forward to trying your cheesecake. I can’t resist Irish cream.” Steve took a bite of the lasagna. He loved home cooked meals and it made him think about cooking for Bucky when the opportunity presented itself.

“You don’t strike me as someone who would drink liqueur or cocktails as a first choice,” said Bucky.

“You’re right, it wouldn’t be my first choice. If I drink anything with sugar in it, I can’t switch to wine or beer after. I can’t mix or I’ll get sick, so I have to stick with one thing for the night. But I really like liqueur in baking; I like the flavor it adds.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Bucky said with understanding. “Becca is like you. She sticks to wine or beer. She’s not big on hard liquor.” He leaned in and dropped his voice. “I’m good with wine, as you already know.”

Steve regarded him with amusement. “What else are you good with?” he asked in an equally low voice. 

“I’ll show you for our date tomorrow.” Bucky leaned back against his chair, taking a sip from his bottle of iced tea as he kept his eyes on him. Steve arched his eyebrow. He wanted tomorrow to come now.

“May I sit with you two, or are the seats taken?” Steve and Bucky looked up to see Nat smiling with her plate of food.

“No, the seats aren’t taken,” Steve replied. “Go ahead and take a seat.”

“Thank you. I wasn’t sure if you gentlemen were having a private discussion,” she commented as she sat down. 

“It’s all above board, Nat,” Bucky assured her. “Everything was PG.”

“Judging by Steve’s expression, I would argue that the conversation was more ‘over eighteen’ than PG,” she smirked. 

“We’re not confirming your suspicions either way,” Steve smiled. “We’ll let your imagination entertain you.”

“If that’s how you want to play, that’s fine with me,” she replied with amusement. “How have the presentations gone so far? Some of the teachers loved that you brought your team in for the day. Might I add that some of the teachers who are currently single were impressed by everyone, including you.”

Steve could feel his face growing warm. He picked up a chicken drumette and took a bite of it. 

“Don’t worry, I told them that you’re seeing someone, and that it might be bad form to try to hit on our guests,” Nat stated. “And I added that if they were going to try their luck, they couldn’t do it in front of the students, and preferably not until the students were done for the day.”

Steve appreciated that Nat was diligent and unyielding regarding the professional conduct of the school’s teachers and staff. “Uh, thanks,” he said. “To answer your question, everything has been going great,” he replied. “The crew loved how curious and funny the students are.”

“I’m sure the Grade 4 to 6 students that you’ll meet this afternoon will be just as attentive and curious,” she remarked. “If there are leftovers from the potluck, we can put together a few containers for your team to take back to the station.”

“That’s very generous, Nat. You don’t have to do that though.”

“Don’t be silly,” Nat said, waving her hand at Steve. “It’s not a big deal. Bucky, did your class enjoy the presentation?”

“They most certainly did,” Bucky replied. “They loved walking up the fire engine and getting a close look at it. They really loved Peter and Val. They were very good with the students. After they left, the kids asked me when they were coming back to visit again.”

“What did you tell them?” Steve asked.

“I told them that firefighters are busy people. Between putting out fires, rescuing cats out of trees, and helping paramedics save people, it would be tricky trying to find the time for them to come back for a second visit.”

“That’s a good answer,” Nat noted with a smile. “I hate to make this short but I have a phone call to make that is going to last at least fifteen minutes. I’ll be back before classes resume.”

After Nat left, Steve went back to the potluck spread to grab two small plates and grabbed several of the bite-size pieces of Bucky’s Irish cream cheesecake before they were devoured by everyone. He stopped by the table where the team was sitting.

“Hey guys, I noticed you hadn’t picked up dessert yet so I thought I’d drop some off,” said Steve.

“Thanks,” said May. “You could have sat with us. We could have made room for you.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Steve replied. “Mr. Barnes is good company and I got a chance to visit with Nat. I’ll see you guys in a bit.”

Bucky was finishing his meal when Steve sat back down in his seat with the cheesecake. Bucky smiled. “You couldn’t wait, could you? You haven’t finished your lunch yet.”

“I didn’t want to miss out,” he replied, picking up his fork to continue finishing his meal. “Besides, I grabbed some for the crew. I think they went back for seconds.”

“You certainly take care of your guys. I’ll wait until you finish before I take a piece.”

“You don’t have to wait for me.”

“I know what the cheesecake tastes like. I’m in no rush to eat it.”

“Suit yourself. I have a question about your classroom though.”

“Oh really? What’s your question?”

“I noticed some of the books on the shelves look worn and the paint supplies in some of the containers seem to be on the low side. I thought that at the beginning of the school year you would have fresh or new supplies. Was I wrong in that assumption?”

Bucky picked up a piece of cheesecake and examined it. “If the budget was adequate enough for me to get the tools and resources I needed to enhance my students’ first steps into a lifetime of learning, I’d tell you that your assumption was right.”

When Bucky looked into his eyes, Steve knew a ‘but’ was going to be the next word flying out of the man’s mouth.

“But I use some of my own money to supplement the budget. Paints and crafts I can get without too much problem. It’s the books that are more tricky because of their cost. So I check out the annual book markets that some of the hospitals have as part of their fundraising drives. There’s always something worth picking up for the students. The school library usually receives grant money to help stock the shelves and pay for a library assistant. They helped me find grants I could apply for to get a little help in stocking a library specifically for kindergarten students. A grant was awarded to the school but Nat hasn’t had any notification that the money has arrived.”

“When was the grant awarded?”

“Back in May,” Bucky answered simply. “The money was supposed to be available in late July or August. If it doesn’t show up before Christmas break, I’ll use the money next school year.” He took a bite of the cheesecake. “Honestly, even if the money were to arrive next week, I’m going to leave it for the next school year. Everything’s been budgeted and planned.”

“That sucks. I guess you just make do with what you have?”

“Yeah but it’s not dire. I just like the students to have something new when they’re taking their first steps into the larger world. Honestly, they won’t be at a disadvantage because the books we have are old and well-used. It just means they’ve been well-loved.”

Steve couldn’t help but smile at Bucky’s take on the situation. He eyed the cheesecake on the plate. Taking a piece, he took a bite and groaned at the Irish cream hitting his taste buds.

“Wow, this is really good.” His voice was slightly muffled by the cheesecake. 

Bucky smiled. “Thanks. Can you taste the alcohol or did it burn off in the baking?”

“I taste a bit of alcohol but it’s super nice. Rich, creamy, flavorful. Using Oreo cookies for the crust was genius.” Steve shoved the rest of the cheesecake into his mouth and groaned again. “So good.” He reached for another piece. “Are you ready for tomorrow night?”

“Can’t wait,” Bucky replied. “Where are we going? Or is this another surprise?”

“It’s a surprise. But I can tell you that you don’t have to dress up. Where we are going, jeans would be most comfortable and you don’t need to wear a dress shirt. Kinda looks like a guys’ night out but it isn’t.”

“Seriously? A guys’ night out? Like what? Two bros kicking back?”

“If you want to put it that way, yeah. And we're taking the motorcycle again.”

Bucky’s smile grew bigger. “Anytime the motorcycle is involved, I am one hundred percent there.”

• • • • •

Steve and the crew had a fun afternoon talking to the older students. Some of the questions the students had were more thoughtful and challenging and everyone took turns answering the questions.

But the highlight of Steve’s afternoon occurred when Nat was leading the team to their next group of students. To get to the next class which was located on the other side of the school, Nat took the short hallway which was also the way to Bucky’s classroom. As the team walked past the kindergarten class, Steve who was walking behind everyone, couldn’t resist pausing to glance into the classroom.

Sitting cross-legged along with his students, Bucky was smiling and talking to them. Whatever Bucky said, the students suddenly became quite animated as they clapped and bounced in their spots. Bucky stood up and walked over to his desk. He picked up a guitar case that Steve didn’t remember seeing when the crew was in the classroom. 

Placing the case on the desk, Bucky opened it and pulled out his acoustic guitar. Steve could see the palpable excitement on the students’ faces. He looked back in Bucky’s direction only to find the man smiling at him. 

Feeling like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Steve smiled and gave him a small wave. Bucky smirked as he grabbed a couple of guitar picks from the case and walked back to the students who had managed to remain seated on the floor. 

Once he sat back down, Bucky strummed the guitar a couple of times and adjusted the tension of a couple of strings. Steve couldn’t hear what Bucky was asking the students but it didn’t matter because he soon heard Bucky humming and the students humming back at him, trying to match the note he was singing.

Seconds later, Bucky and the students broke into a round of _Old MacDonald Had a Farm_. Although the glass distorted the voices, Steve heard enough to know that Bucky had a great singing voice, and he was absolutely enchanted by it. Bucky looked at Steve again to give him a wink. Steve’s chest bloomed with warmth as his heart beat a little faster. He had to remind himself that he was on the job and representing the FDNY. There was no point in embarrassing himself in front of Bucky and the students.

“Steve?”

He looked down the hallway to see Nat smirking at him. He sighed. “Yes?”

“I know you didn’t get lost, but that’s what I told your colleagues,” she said in an amused tone. “I know he’s easy on the eyes, but I’m going to save you from yourself. Fire Safety Day isn’t over yet and the next group of students is ready to hear what the fine men and women of Rescue 2 have to say.”

Steve took one last look at Bucky and the students before walking away.

“I’m sure you’ll see him soon enough,” she said encouragingly.

“We’re going out tomorrow night.”

“Your puppy dog eyes are playing a strong game today,” she said, patting his arm. “Come on, let’s go.”

• • • • •

As May pulled into the fire house, Steve could see Carol sitting on one of the benches, drinking a bottle of ginger ale, waiting for the crew to return. As everyone climbed out of the engine, Carol called out to them.

“How did everything go?”

“It went flawlessly,” replied Steve. “The school has great students.”

“And a great staff,” added May. “We brought back some food with us. The teachers and staff had a potluck lunch for us.”

Carol stared at the bags of food containers and raised her eyebrows. “I’m impressed. Also, that’s a lot of food you brought back. How much food did they make?”

“Enough to feed an army,” answered Peter. “Everything was good. Nothing beats home-cooking.”

“That might be an exaggeration,” Val smiled. “There was enough for seconds and thirds. We’re going to take some of it home with us but here are a couple of containers for you to take home or leave here to heat for a quick meal.”

“For me?” she asked. “You didn’t have to do that, but thanks.”

Val handed the bag over to Carol who pulled out one of the containers and opened it to see what they had packed for her. She licked her lips at the sight and smell of the food. “Okay, this is going to be tonight’s dinner.”

“You gotta try the cheesecake Mr. Barnes made,” Peter enthused. “I had three pieces, it was so good.”

“Mr. Barnes?”

“He’s the kindergarten teacher at the school,” Peter replied. 

“Yeah, you should ask Steve about him,” Val added with a smile that was leaning towards a smirk. “He spent the lunch hour in his company.”

The crew looked at Steve innocently which made him smile, shake his head and sigh. They loved to tease him whenever they saw him with someone who they thought could be a potential partner for him, but they also knew about his past romantic foibles. 

The last relationship he had ended three years ago. It had been ugly; he got burned. It was a bad enough break-up that he told the crew and Carol he was going to forgo relationships for the rest of his life. The concept of one-night stands wasn’t even an option he cared to entertain. His brain wasn’t wired that way.

The crew had seen him reject advances from men and women, as well as quickly toss scribbled phone numbers on scraps of paper from interested admirers into the nearest wastebasket. They always hoped he would meet someone who would make him rethink his stance on a lifetime of celibacy. Seeing him with Bucky made them hope. Steve knew the crew was rooting for him and wanted him to be happy, but he wasn’t ready to say anything to them even though he had briefly talked about Bucky with Carol.

“Spent the lunch hour in his company?” he asked Val. “When you say it like that, it sounds like we’re in the Victorian era.” He turned his gaze to Carol. “There wasn’t space at their table,” he explained simply. “They were already eating and Mr. Barnes asked me if I would like to sit with him for lunch. I’m not going to be rude and say ‘no.’ ”

“Alright, alright. Enough with the teasing and speculating on Steve’s love life,” Carol announced as if she was refereeing a schoolyard argument between ten-year-olds. “We have a few more hours before the shift ends. Let’s put away the food, clean up, and make sure the gear is in its place and ready to go in case we get a call.”

“Uh, before we scatter, there’s something I’d like to discuss,” said Steve.

“We’re having a family meeting?” Carol asked with a smile.

“Yeah, it’s a family meeting. It’ll be real quick.”

“Okay, what’s up?” asked Thor.

“I was talking to Mr. Barnes about school supplies. I had noticed the condition of some of the things in his classroom ranged from good to well-used to worn out, especially the books he has on the shelves. He told me the budget he has to work with isn’t enough to replenish everything. He even applied for a grant which he got but that money hasn’t shown up yet so when that money does appear, he’s setting that aside for next September. He’s using his own money to get what the students need. 

“I think we all know that a lot of teachers are doing out of pocket purchases for their classes. And I’d like to help Mr. Barnes out. The kindergarten kids were super to talk to. I was thinking we could collect some books, paints, and crayons. Anything really that would be fun things for the students to engage with in class. I can take the collection down to the school and present it to the kindergarten kids. And the bonus is it’s also good PR for the FDNY.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” said May. “Those kids were really sweet. I’m all for giving them a leg up on learning. How does everyone else feel about doing a little collection drive?”

Much to Steve’s relief, everybody liked the idea, echoing May’s sentiment regarding the kindergarten class.

“Is there a deadline for the drive?” Thor asked.

“I haven’t thought of a deadline,” replied Steve. “Let’s see what we can come up with in a couple of weeks. We can extend it another week or two but I think four weeks is the maximum for collecting stuff.”

“Alright, guys, we know what we need to do,” said Carol. “Let’s do what we can and surprise the kids.”

After the food was tucked away in the fridge, and everyone dispersed, Steve headed back out to the engine. 

“Steve, where are you going?” asked Thor.

“Just gonna do a quick inventory check of the compartment bins.”

“Want some help? An extra set of hands makes the check go faster.”

“Sure, why not. Let’s do it.”

As they checked the storage compartments and bins, there was a companionable silence between the two men. Steve knew Thor from their days as recruits. They had become fast friends and that friendship continued through separate stints at different firehouses until they met up again at Rescue 2. The only reason Thor wasn’t a lieutenant was because he hadn’t shown interest in moving up the ranks. Not yet. Thor had joked that he wanted to see how Steve handled being second-in-command before he would consider whether or not a similar move was something he wanted. 

Because of their friendship, Steve wasn’t surprised by Thor’s willingness to ask Steve interesting questions.

“Mr. Barnes, he’s the guy who was at the farmers’ market, isn’t he?” asked Thor. “He was with Romanoff and another guy. That guy looks familiar.” 

Steve looked at Thor for a second. “Yeah, he’s the one. The other guy is Nat’s partner, Clint. He’s a paramedic which is why he looks familiar.”

Thor nodded thoughtfully. “Interesting. I didn’t want to bring it up in front of everyone. You hadn’t said anything before so I knew you were probably figuring things out.”

“We’re taking it kinda slow.”

“You like him? He’s easy on the eyes. You always attract the pretty ones.”

Steve chuckled. “Speak for yourself, Odinson. You have your fair share of admirers.”

“Who doesn’t like tall, blond, and beefy? I check all the boxes and then some.”

Steve laughed this time. “You can thank your parents for your genes. And to answer your question, yeah, I really like him. He’s just easy to be with. It’s easy just to be me when I’m around him.”

“I’m happy to hear it,” Thor said, smiling softly. “You know we all care about you. You’re a good person. You shouldn’t be going through life on your own.”

“Hey, I have you guys. I’m not going through life alone.”

“You know what I mean. You shouldn’t have to go through life without someone to share it with. Can’t go wrong with a school teacher,” Thor grinned. “Does Mr. Barnes know you’re planning this collection drive?”

“No, he doesn’t. It’ll be a nice surprise.”

“It’s always good to have someone to inspire you.”

Steve paused for a moment, smiling. “Yeah, he does kind of inspire me.”

• • • • •

_Bucky: Hey_

_Steve: Hey u :)_

_Bucky: Got enough leftovers for a couple of meals?_

_Steve: Yup. It’s coming home with me at the end of the shift. I’m looking forward to tmr :)_

_Bucky: Me too. C u tmr. 6?_

_Steve: Yup. 6. Remember… it’s casual. But make sure the shirt u wear is white._

_Bucky: ???_

_Steve: Trust me :)_

_Bucky: Uh okay_

_Steve: :)_


	4. Impossible to refuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do glow bowling and pinball machines have in common? Steve and Bucky's second date. Naturally, things heat up quickly for the two men.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the next instalment. Thank you for all the interest and comments. You guys are awesome!
> 
> See y'all on Wednesday when the next chapter drops :)

The sight of Steve pulling up on his motorcycle had Bucky grinning from ear to ear. 

He had toyed with the idea of getting a motorcycle but always talked himself out of it. It would have meant either giving up his car for the parking space or finding a place he could park the motorcycle with relatively easy access. Where he lived it was logistically and geographically hard to do. 

Now he couldn’t wait to climb onto the purring beast and ride off with Steve to whatever adventure the man had in store for him.

Steve stopped in front of him, pulled off his helmet, and smiled.

“Look who’s eager to get the night started,” he said. “I didn’t even have to go up to your place to get you.”

Bucky shrugged and smiled. “I missed you.”

Steve laughed. “We saw each other yesterday at school.” 

Bucky loved the crinkles around his eyes. “Not the same.”

Steve sighed. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Got a white shirt on?”

Bucky unzipped his leather jacket to show Steve his white long sleeve t-shirt. “Would you mind telling me where we’re going that wearing white is required?”

“We’re going bowling.”

Bucky blinked. “Bowling?”

“More specifically, glow bowling.”

Bucky realized the bowling alley they were going to was outfitted with black light. “That explains your white shirt request. So which alley are we going to?”

“Bowl Me Over. It’s over in Woodside,” Steve answered. “It’s not your parents’ bowling alley. It’s got great food, an arcade, a sports bar, and the lanes have leather lounge seats and, of course, black lights.”

Steve had an air of boyish excitement, proud of his location choice for their second date. Honestly, Bucky would go wherever Steve wanted if he got to see and hear that level of excitement from him.

“I have to warn you,” said Bucky, taking the second helmet out of the motorcycle’s saddlebag. “I haven’t bowled since I was fourteen. I was okay at hitting the pins but I don’t see any championship trophies gathering dust in the closet in my future.”

“That’s alright,” replied Steve. “I haven’t bowled since I was sixteen and I was horrible at it. Gutter balls, all of them. We can be mediocre together.”

• • • • •

Bucky was struck by how colorfully neon, slick, and almost tacky the bowling alley was. It certainly had its own particular aesthetic, one that Bucky would consider for his own decorative purposes. After trading in their street shoes for bowling shoes, Steve and Bucky walked over to the lane they had been assigned to. Bucky was grateful that the lane is one of the more low key lanes in terms of decor. 

Looking over at the other lanes, everything was about overstimulation. The color palette used for the bowling alley was far from lulling a person to sleep. Large screen TVs broadcasting one of the evening’s several pro hockey games were featured. On top of that, music thrummed throughout the venue from multiple speakers placed around the building.

Steve looked at Bucky. “This all becomes background noise. You’ll see.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“We’ll bowl three games, get our shoes, and head to the sports bar for some food.”

“Where’s the arcade?”

“Just past the sports bar. Did you want to hit that before we eat?”

“Yeah, I do. See what’s there. Do they have pinball machines?”

He loved playing pinball machines as a teenager. On the weekends, he would spend a couple of hours playing the machines. It was his way of temporarily zoning out. It was simple mindless fun. A boy against a low-tech machine.

“Absolutely,” Steve replied. “There are lots to choose from.”

• • •

“Woo! You got a strike!” Bucky whooped. 

“Yeah, but you’re the winner,” Steve sighed playfully, walking back to him. “That was the last one of the game. Too late to catch you.”

“You can beat me next time,” Bucky smiled as he calculated the scores. He was twenty points up on Steve.

The point difference belied the fact he and Steve were more evenly matched bowlers than either one had expected. However, that wasn’t exactly saying a lot. True to form, Steve managed to get more gutter balls than Bucky. While Bucky tended to leave a pin standing on either side of the lane with one bowling ball left at his disposal. They had laughed and commiserated over their mediocrity. In the end, Bucky won two of their three games.

“Ready to check out the arcade?” Steve asked.

“You bet I am. Wanna play a few rounds before we eat?”

“Sure. I gotta beat you at something.”

“I was pretty good with pinball machines. I put in some good hours when I was a teenager. I might wipe the floor with your ass.”

Steve arched an eyebrow. “Is that a challenge, Barnes?”

“If that’s how you want to interpret it,” Bucky replied with a smirk.

After collecting their shoes, they headed over to the arcade. For Bucky, there was nothing like revisiting a memory from youth. The arcade, illuminated by the lights from the rows of arcade game machines and neon bowling alley lights, felt like an old well-worn coat he hadn’t donned for a while. 

They wandered over to the section of the arcade referred to as ‘pinball alley.’ As Steve had mentioned earlier, there were a lot of machines to choose from. The one that caught Bucky’s eye was one decorated with the planets of the solar system. 

Steve leaned in and spoke into his ear. “You wanna play a few games?”

“Yeah, I do. You got enough quarters? I have some but I kinda travel light when it comes to carrying change.”

“I’ll go get us a roll of quarters, then we can set the stakes.”

When Steve returned with the quarters, they settled on going five rounds to determine the winner. Much to Bucky’s dismay, even though he wasn’t surprised, Steve proved to be just as adept as him at being one with the flippers as the silver metal ball ricocheted around in its metal and glass box. 

“I swear you have a horseshoe up your ass,” Bucky commented as he watched Steve have his third go at the machine. 

“I don’t have a horseshoe up my ass, my friend,” replied Steve, keeping his eye on the ball. “You’re mistaking that for skill.”

Bucky snorted. “Skill? You must be joking.”

“Not joking. I’m several thousand points up on you.”

“Not for long, buster.”

Steve chuckled at the threat.

In the last two rounds, Bucky had managed to close the gap between them. After completing five rounds, Bucky and Steve’s individual scores were added up, and after triple-checking the final numbers, Steve managed to stay ahead of Bucky with ten points to win.

“Yes!” Steve jumped up and down, pumping his fist in the air.

“Ten fuckin’ points?! You beat me by ten fuckin’ points?” Bucky groaned.

“Still got the touch,” Steve crowed delightedly.

“Nope. Just a horseshoe up your ass,” Bucky replied in disbelief.

Steve leaned in. “If you like, I’ll put something up your ass and it’ll be way more fun than a horseshoe. Make you forget the game.”

Bucky barked with laughter. He had put his libido under lock and key for most of the date, choosing to enjoy Steve’s company rather than think of the numerous ways the blue-eyed man could pleasure him with his mouth and tongue. 

“When you say shit like that, you had better be prepared to back it up,” Bucky warned.

“I’ll back it up alright. Back right into me and I’ll show you,” Steve said with a dirty smirk.

Pulling Steve close enough that he was the only one who could hear what came out of his mouth, Bucky spoke. “Is this how you’re going to play? Lots of innuendo to get the both of us worked up?”

“Is it working?” Steve’s voice had become dangerously low. Their lips just inches away from each other.

“You punk. Damn right, it’s working. How are you feeling right now?”

Steve paused, looking into Bucky’s eyes. “I’m not exactly hungry for food.”

Bucky stared at his lips for several seconds. “Let’s go back to your place. I haven’t been there yet. You got something in the fridge we can raid after we’re done?”

“Yeah, there’s food in the fridge. Let’s go.”

• • • • •

The thirty-minute ride back to the brownstone had Steve ruminating over what they were going to do to each other once they got back to his place. 

Steve felt Bucky occasionally tighten his hold around his waist before relaxing again. It made him think Bucky was most likely imagining their first time together. The thought had Steve’s pants feeling a little tighter than when he had put them on for their date.

Arriving at the brownstone, Steve tucked the motorcycle away in the garage. He was grateful he had found a house with a garage big enough to fit both his small SUV and the motorcycle. 

Once they dismounted and removed their helmets, Steve pulled Bucky in for an onslaught of hot, sloppy, hungry kisses. There was nothing like kicking things off with a little foreplay in the garage. Both men unzipped each other’s jackets, wanting their hands to roam over their chests and feel the heat radiating off their bodies. 

Steve soon had his back against the SUV, their hips pressed together. Bucky’s lips were soft, sweet, and pliant. Steve wanted to kiss them until they were puffy, wet, and a deep shade of pink. He growled when Bucky sighed and melted against his body. Bucky ran his fingers through Steve’s hair, giving it a gentle tug. He rolled his hips against Steve’s, letting him know how aroused he was.

“Let’s take this inside,” Steve panted. “As much as I’d like to bend you over the hood and fuck you senseless right now, I think you’d be more comfortable on my bed, presenting your ass to me.” 

Bucky groaned, digging his fingers into Steve’s shoulders for a second. “Okay, sure. You won’t get an argument from me.”

After getting inside and kicking off their shoes, Steve kissed Bucky again before taking him by the hand and leading him up to the first floor. He paused in front of the kitchen.

“Do you want a tour of the place or do you want to head straight to the bedroom?” he asked.

Bucky shoved him against the wall, kissing him as if his life depended on it. A pair of hands began pushing Steve’s jacket off his shoulders. Once it dropped to the floor, Steve returned the favor, helping Bucky shed his jacket and leaving it pooled on the floor. Greedy hands pulled at the hem of Steve’s shirt until they found bare skin. Steve gasped, shivering at the touch, goosebumps appearing where Bucky’s hands had been.

Hot kisses and kitten licks seared Steve’s neck. He closed his eyes savoring the sensations Bucky was giving him. Opening his eyes, he gently pushed Bucky back so they could catch their breath.

“I asked you a question, Buck.”

“What was the question again?”

“Do you want a tour of the place or do you want to go straight to bed?”

Bucky chuckled. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Humor me. Confirm my suspicions.”

Bucky leaned in to kiss him again. “Bed. Give me the tour after.”

“Okay.”

Steve cradled Bucky’s cheeks, admiring how the ambient light coming from the street lights fell on his face. He knew this was a face he could look at for the rest of his life.

Bucky smiled. “Steve? Are you gonna show me your bedroom, or are we just gonna fuck in the hallway here?”

“Oh right… yeah… uh, bedroom.” 

• • • • •

Bucky loved how tactile Steve was. He loved that Steve would take his hand and lead him up the stairs to the second floor where the master bedroom was located. 

They took a right at the top of the stairs and walked into Steve’s bedroom. 

“The room at the end of the hall is another bedroom but I turned it into a giant closet and storage room.”

“You have a ton of clothes?”

“No, but I have stuff,” he explained. “It’s a good place for things I haven’t found a space for. I bought this place a couple of years ago and there are still boxes I haven’t unpacked. The bathroom is just past the stairs if you need to take a piss.”

“No, I’m good right now.”

Steve turned on the lamp sitting on his nightstand, offering Bucky the opportunity to look around. A few large drawings and paintings hung on the light blue-gray walls. The art didn’t look familiar, but then he was used to the drawings his kindergarten students made in class. He loved the lines of the figure studies and the dark, rich colours of the Manhattan skyline in the painting that hung on the wall above the bed.

“These are great. Are they from the same artist?”

“Yes, they are.”

“Who is it?”

“Me.”

Bucky turned and stared at Steve, trying to figure out if he was pranking him. “Seriously? You wouldn’t lie to me about this, would you?”

Steve smiled. “Not a lie. I created them.”

“Wow. Why didn’t you tell me you painted during our first date?”

“Didn’t think about it.”

“You’re kidding me. How could you not think about telling me this? This is fantastic work.”

Steve walked up behind Bucky, wrapped his arms around his waist, and planted kisses on his neck. “It was years ago. I started when I was a kid. Ma believed it was important for every child to experience art. I kept doing it until I went to college; stopped when I became a firefighter.”

“Why?”

“Lost interest, I guess. I lacked motivation.” Steve continued peppering Bucky with kisses. Bucky knew Steve was trying to refocus on the initial reason they were in his bedroom, but he had one more question to ask. 

“Would you consider getting back to it?”

Steve sighed. “If I say yes, can we get back to kissing and maybe some other stuff?”

Bucky chuckled, turning around to face Steve. “Fine. Say yes and let’s get out of these clothes.”

“Yes. Now let’s get naked.”

Kissing and taking off each other’s clothes proved to be an interesting endeavour that led to both men accidentally bumping heads, noses and teeth. They laughed and giggled until they fell into bed having only succeeded in removing their shirts and getting their jeans unzipped. Bucky pushed himself off of Steve, sitting up and crawling backwards, pulling Steve’s jeans and underwear off of him. 

Bucky stood at the foot of the bed, admiring Steve’s naked body, a true feast for the eyes and mouth in his opinion. The man was muscled, but not heavily built. While his abs were not entirely washboard, there was still plenty for Bucky to admire. What he truly appreciated in a man was legs that went forever. Steve had legs for miles. They were lean, muscled, and graceful; they were dancer’s legs. Steve’s cock and balls were nestled in a trim dark thatch of hair that had Bucky badly wanting to breathe in Steve’s scent. 

“Like what you see, Buck?”

“I do,” he replied, pushing down his jeans and kicking them aside, standing naked with an erect cock.

He watched Steve lick his lips. “I guess I should ask you if you like what you see, Steve. Do you?”

“You bet I do,” Steve growled, his eyes roaming over Bucky’s naked form. “You’re lean and sinewy. The lines of your body are worth drawing. You make me want to pick up a pencil and draw you.”

“When was the last time you drew a human body?”

“Too long. Like I said, I stopped when I started college.” He paused for a moment to consider what he would say next. “I could do a figure study of you. Study every inch of your body.” Steve began stroking his cock. “Fuck, I could do a series of sketches of your face alone. I could fill a sketchbook with drawings of your cock too. You’re gorgeous, Buck.”

Steve’s baritone voice, thick with desire, rumbled through Bucky’s body. He crawled back onto the bed. Steve stopped stroking himself and parted his legs, allowing Bucky better access if he wanted. Appreciative of Steve’s helpfulness, Bucky slid his hands over Steve’s thighs. He felt them tense with anticipation as his hands moved closer to Steve’s cock. It twitched when Bucky’s fingernails raked over the sensitive areas on his inner thighs. Of course, Bucky noticed the movement and smiled.

“Eager, are we?” he asked with a smile.

“When you look like that, Buck? Yeah, I’m eager.”

Bucky grazed his fingernails over the sensitive areas again, making Steve hiss this time. Pre-cum oozed out of the slit. Bucky licked his lips at the sight. He was so tempted to swallow Steve whole and drink him in, but he decided to hold off on that urge for now. The thought that he was going to taste and experience Steve made his cock harder than it already was.

Crawling up to Steve, he slipped his tongue into his mouth. Groaning, he reached down between them and began stroking Steve. 

“Jesus fucking Christ, Buck,” he sighed.

Bucky smiled as his lips traced Steve’s jawline before moving down to his throat. Feeling Steve’s heartbeat racing under his lips, he pressed against the pulse point and tightened his grip around his cock. Steve wriggled and moaned; his fingers digging deeper into Bucky’s hips.

Making his way down to Steve’s left nipple, Bucky teased it with the tip of his tongue. Breathing deeply, Steve shuddered under Bucky’s ministrations. Giving the nipple one last tug with his teeth, Bucky drifted over to the right nipple to apply the same attention. Steve moaned, thrusting his cock into Bucky’s hand. Bucky chuckled at the impulsive move.

Gliding his hands up and down Steve’s chest, Bucky relished the feel of his body beneath his hands. Grabbing the back of Steve’s thighs, he pushed them towards Steve’s chest and snuggled up against his ass, their cocks and balls pressed and rubbing against each other. Wrapping his hand around both of them, Bucky began stroking at a leisurely pace.

“Oh fuck. That feels good,” Steve moaned. Pre-cum oozed out of both men. Bucky swiped the liquid, smearing it over both heads and down their lengths, making them slick. Bucky watched Steve close his eyes and keen at the delicious friction. 

“Buck,” he gritted his teeth. “I’m too close.”

Releasing his grip, Bucky watched Steve choke out a gasp of relief. Caressing his cheek, Bucky looked at him with awe and fondness. “Better?”

“Yeah, better. You’re amazing.”

Bucky’s cheeks grew warm. “I haven’t done much.”

“I would beg to differ.”

The sincerity in Steve’s voice touched him. “I’m not sure how to respond to that. I really don’t think I’ve done much to deserve that compliment.”

“Then show me what you would do to deserve it.”

Bucky saw mirth mixed with desire in Steve’s eyes. He smiled at the challenge. Without hesitation, he licked the tip of Steve’s cock, appreciating the blend of salty, sweet, and bitterness he tasted in the pre-cum.

“Mmm, you taste so good, Steve.” Bucky ran his tongue along the shaft. “God, you taste so fucking good.” 

Slipping his mouth over Steve’s balls, he used his tongue to tease and torture him while simultaneously jerking him off. Steve whimpered at the intense stimulation. Bucky could feel the tension slowly coiling in Steve’s body. He wasn’t sure if Steve was exceptionally responsive to his touches or if he should attribute it to Steve’s lack of a love life. 

Licking a wet stripe from the base to the tip of Steve’s cock, Bucky easily wrapped his lips around him. Steve choked out a small cry as Bucky bobbed his head up and down. Slowly taking more of his length into his mouth, Bucky’s thumb caressed Steve’s perineum, eliciting a gasp. Pressing a finger against Steve’s hole, Bucky massaged the ring of muscle, coaxing it to relax and allow entry. 

Bucky figured the assault on the senses was a lot for any man to handle and Steve was no different judging by the groaning and muttered swearing he was hearing. Then he felt fingers threading through his hair. 

“Oh God, Buck,” Steve breathed as he squirmed. “More. Give me more.”

It was a rush to hear Steve begging. Needing to give Steve what he wanted, he pulled away temporarily. Steve whined.

“Buck, what are you doing?” Steve sounded desperate for his touch.

“Do you have lube?”

“Yeah.” Steve reached blindly over to the nightstand to open the drawer and grab a small bottle of lube. He handed it over to Bucky who quickly flipped open the cap and squeezed out enough to coat his fingers. 

Effortlessly, a finger slid inside Steve whose first reaction was to grind against his hand. Placing a hand on Steve’s stomach to still him, Bucky crooked his finger, quickly finding the prostate. A couple of gentle brushes over it sent Steve crying out in pleasure. More pre-cum oozed out of Steve and pooled just below his hand. 

Aware that Steve was watching his every move, Bucky ran his fingers through the pre-cum. He licked the liquid off his fingers and grinned. In one fluid motion, Bucky bent down to suck on Steve’s cock again. Hearing Steve’s quick breaths encouraged him to be relentless. Hollowing his cheeks, he was determined to make Steve come. He slid a second finger inside his lover and picked up the pace with his fingers. 

“Bucky!” he shouted. Expletives tumbled out of his mouth. 

Bucky could feel Steve fighting the need to come. He didn’t want him to fight it; he wanted Steve to let go and fill his mouth with cum. He moaned around his cock, sending the vibrations up Steve’s spine. It was enough to send Steve over the edge into a freefall.

Bucky swallowed greedily as he continued gently brushing over Steve’s prostate, encouraging an extended flow of cum to empty into his mouth. A couple of minutes later, he slipped his fingers out, allowing Steve to finally soften in his mouth. 

Crawling back up to Steve, Bucky kissed him, spilling some of the cum into his lover’s open, panting mouth. Steve licked the inside of Bucky’s mouth, groaning with satisfaction. Bucky’s stiff cock brushed against Steve’s right hip. Languidly, they kissed for several more minutes.

“How do you feel?” Bucky asked, caressing Steve’s cheek.

“That was the best blow job I’ve ever experienced. You’re fucking amazing. I think you drained me dry.”

Bucky chuckled. “I doubt that… But are you tired?”

“No. I should be spent, but I’m just so fucking relaxed right now.” Steve reached down to gently squeeze Bucky’s cock. “You need to get off.”

“It can wait.” But Bucky doesn’t push Steve’s hand away.

“No, you need to be taken care of. And I know what you need.”

Bucky gives him a questioning smirk. “You do?”

“I do.” Steve sat up. “Lie down. Let me look at you.”

“You already looked at me. You’ve been looking at me whenever you haven’t closed your eyes and moaned in ecstasy.” Bucky liked teasing him.

“I just want to get my fill of you before I do wicked things to you.”

“What kind of wicked things?”

“You’ll just have to find out.”

Bucky grinned. “Am I gonna like what you’re gonna give me?”

“Satisfaction guaranteed,” Steve grinned lasciviously. 

“But what if I have a complaint.”

“All complaints can be directed to me. I promise to address any concerns you have and make sure you get what you deserve.”

Bucky laughed. “You’re a fucking cheeseball.”

“I am what I am. Look at you, Buck. You make me want to pick up a pencil and start drawing again.”

“Really? You want to draw me?”

“I do. I wanna draw a figure study of you.”

Bucky raises his eyebrows. “Naked?”

“Always. I can be naked too, if that will make you more comfortable.”

“Why do I get the feeling that after every drawing session, we’ll just end up fucking each other?”

“Because that’s what will probably happen.”

“Every time?”

“Yeah, every time. I have no self-control around you.”

“Me neither.”

• • • • •

Seated between Bucky’s legs, Steve gazed at him with unabashed affection. Peppering kisses along Bucky’s left inner thigh, he grazed it with his teeth and lightly rubbed his stubbled cheeks against the tender skin.

Steve didn’t bother shaving this morning. In fact, on his days off, he never shaved. The clean-shaven look was for work only. It was necessary to ensure the mask’s seal would do its job of protecting Steve from smoke. If there had been a safe way to have a beard while on the job, he would have done it a long time ago.

The feel of stubble made Bucky gasp and whimper. Steve worked his way up towards Bucky’s cock, but stopped just short of touching it. Instead, he floated over to his right inner thigh, showering it with kisses and small bites. Bucky was tense with anticipation and need, clutching at the bedsheets desperately. Steve wasn’t ready to give Bucky what he wanted just yet. He leisurely made his way back to Bucky’s groin. A strangled cry came out of Bucky’s throat as he rocked his hips at Steve. 

“Stop teasing me,” he growled.

Steve pinned down Bucky’s hips. “Easy there, Buck. You’ll get what you deserve.”

“Is waiting part of what I deserve?” Bucky wiggled his hips, pushing up against Steve’s hands. His cock stood more erect, begging to be touched.

Steve leaned into Bucky’s hips, stilling him. He glanced down at Bucky’s cock and swallowed thickly at the sight; the head, in a pretty shade of pink, was shiny with pre-cum. It was begging to be kissed, licked, and consumed. Smiling, he looked back up at Bucky.

“Yes, waiting is part of it.” He paused. “God, Buck, I really want to draw you and this gorgeous dick of yours.”

Bucky licked his lips. “Draw me later. I need your mouth on me.”

“All in good time.”

“You’re a punk for making me wait.”

Steve chuckled as his fingers trailed from Bucky’s hip to the center of his chest before resting on his throat. His thumb caressed the dimple on his chin. Bucky automatically parted his plump lips as if he was waiting and hoping for Steve to kiss him or insert a finger or two into his mouth to suck on. The look of longing and need revealed itself in Bucky’s expressive blue-gray eyes. 

For Steve, the message was loud and clear. Bucky was beautiful and Steve couldn’t believe the man was in his bed. Bucky wanted to be with him. He wanted to stuff Bucky’s mouth and ass full of his fingers, tongue, and cock so badly that he was nearly beside himself. He took a deep breath before leaning down until their lips were mere inches away from each other and uttered his next sentence.

“I’m a lot of things, Buck,” Steve spoke with amusement. “But ‘bastard’ doesn’t quite make the top ten most common remarks made about me. Would you like to know what some of those words were?”

“No,” Bucky replied breathlessly. “How about you fuck me instead?”

Steve chuckles. “Patience, Buck.” 

“Is ‘patience’ one of the words on the top ten list or are you actually telling me to be patient?”

“Both.” He quickly slid two fingers into Bucky’s mouth. Bucky greedily sucked on them. His mouth was hot and slick; his tongue was velvety soft. 

Steve’s cock stirred at the still-fresh memory of Bucky’s tongue teasing his cock. He suppressed a groan as he slid his fingers in and out of Bucky’s mouth. A minute later, he traded his fingers for his lips, doing his best to kiss Bucky breathless. Bucky’s lips were puffy and turning a deeper shade of pink. Steve licked and tugged at Bucky’s lower lip. 

Pressing his lips lightly along Bucky’s chiseled jawline, Steve travelled down to Bucky’s throat, where he started to gently rub his stubbled face against the delicate skin. Bucky gasped, clutching Steve’s shoulders. He mewled, writhing and digging his fingers into Steve. 

To distract him even more, Steve nibbled on a patch of skin at the base of Bucky’s throat while he slid his fingers back and forth along Bucky’s perineum. Bucky’s body jerked at the sensation. 

Steve concentrated on leaving a red mark on Bucky’s throat as his fingers moved down to his tight hole. Bucky gasped with surprise before he uttered a breathless ‘yes.’ As Steve massaged the entrance, Bucky struggled to push against his fingers. Steve knew Bucky wanted more. As a small appeasement, Steve pushed the tip of his finger past the ring of muscle. Bucky sighed but continued to try to fuck himself on Steve’s finger. Steve slipped out of Bucky, covering Bucky with the weight of his body in an attempt to calm him down.

“Shhh,” he whispered in Bucky’s ear. “I said I’d take care of you.”

Bucky whimpered. “But I want you,” he replied plaintively.

“I know you do,” Steve soothed, kissing Bucky inviting lips.

Bucky wriggled again, then his expression changed to one of mischief. “You’re hard. I can feel it… Good to know you can recover like an eighteen-year-old,” Bucky teased. “I knew you had lots left in the tank.” 

“I’m not that old. Neither are you. We’re practically the same age,” Steve countered. “But I’ll admit it’s been a while,” Steve muttered which made Bucky chuckle. “Yes, you were right about me being eager.” 

Steve’s tone made him sound modest and shy and it was enough to soften Bucky’s expression to one of fondness. Bucky kissed him. “There’s nothing wrong with being eager. I’m flattered. I want you, Steve. Take me however you want me. I don’t care. I just need you.”

Steve paused, staring into Bucky’s darkened eyes. Running his tongue across Bucky’s lips, he rolled his hips against him. Bucky moaned, Steve continued rutting against him. Abruptly, Steve pulled away, making Bucky whine at the loss of skin to skin contact.

“Get on your elbows and knees, Buck.” Steve’s voice said an authoritative tone. Bucky watched him with interest. Smiling, he did as he was told. He made a point of arching his back so that a certain body part had Steve’s full attention.

“You’ve got a great ass, Buck,” he purred.

Bucky responded to the compliment by wiggling it for him. Steve laughed at his playfulness. Steve loved the way Bucky presented himself. He couldn’t resist putting his hands on his ass, feeling the firm, hot flesh under his hands. Steve took his time massaging and fondling Bucky’s ass cheeks. Bucky groaned, clearly enjoying Steve’s tactile tendencies. 

Parting his cheeks to expose the hole, Steve dove right in without any preamble. Bucky gasped, surprised by the bold move but loving it. Steve worked to loosen the puckered muscle with his tongue. 

“What a sweet ass you have, Buck,” growled Steve.

His stubble grazed Bucky’s cheeks, making the man keen and beg for more. Steve obliged him by rubbing his face over Bucky’s hole. He listened to Bucky crying into the pillow. 

“I could do this all day,” Steve remarked. “Have my way with your ass. Eat it and fuck it.”

“Fuck, yeah,” Bucky whimpered. “I wanna feel you for days.”

Steve pressed his tongue more persistently against the ring of muscle, feeling it slowly yield to him. Bucky slowly leaned back into the pressure, seeking more. 

Grabbing the bottle of lube that rolled over to Steve’s right calf, he clumsily squeezed out enough liquid to coat his fingers. Briefly teasing Bucky by stroking his perineum, the entrance yielded easily to the pressure, allowing the entire length of his finger to slip in. 

“I can take a second one,” Bucky begged. “Please.”

Steve realized how ready Bucky was for Steve when the second finger slid in just as easily as the first. He knew he had found Bucky’s prostate when his lover yelped and swore as his body jerked from the touch.

He wondered how many different sounds of pleasure he could get Bucky to make. It was something he had to explore more thoroughly in the future. 

Spreading open Bucky’s hole, Steve thrusted his tongue inside. Bucky moaned and cursed as Steve used the tip of his tongue to occasionally flick and tease him as he happily ate him out.

Hearing Bucky whine, Steve paused for a second only to find that he had reached between his legs to stroke himself, in dire need of relief. Bucky’s cock looked heavy as pre-cum dripped onto the bed sheets, creating a noticeable wet spot.

“Buck, stop that,” Steve requested. “I didn’t say you could touch yourself.”

“No.” Bucky sounded bratty. He glanced back to give Steve a challenging look. He was still jerking himself off with a glint in his eyes. “Make me.”

Steve arched an eyebrow at the tone of his voice. _That little shit_ , he thought. A mischievous smirk formed on Steve’s lips. Bucky wasn’t even fazed by his expression, smirking back. Steve loved seeing this side of Bucky that screamed petulant and horny as fuck. 

“Buck…” 

“Yes?” Bucky stopped stroking his cock but didn’t release it from his grip.

“Hands off your dick. I said I would take care of you.”

“No. You’re taking too long.” Bucky’s hand moved slowly down the length of his shaft. His thumb moved in small circles over the slit where pre-cum continued to ooze out.

Knowing Bucky was looking to cause trouble, Steve shifted to the left so Bucky could get a better view, and began stroking himself. Bucky watched, licking his lips, and gripping his cock a little tighter.

“Buck, if you want this,” Steve said, referring to his cock. “Stop touching yourself. If you don’t stop, you’re gonna be finishing yourself off. And then you’re gonna watch me jerk off and come all over myself.”

“Doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

Steve smiled. “Personally, I think that would be one of the worst choices you could make tonight.”

They stared at each other until Bucky started giggling. Steve smiled, watching Bucky fall into a fit of giggles while trying to continue jerking himself. He descended into fits of uncontrollable laughter, rolling over onto his back with a stiff cock that still needed attention.

Steve regarded him with fondness. Situating himself between Bucky’s legs and boxing Bucky between his arms, he looked at him with utter amusement.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky gasped between spurts of laughter. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I ruined the moment.”

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Steve assured him. Slowly, he returned to rolling his hips into Bucky. The laughter that had been pouring out of Bucky died quickly. Their cocks rubbing against each other created a delicious friction that neither man could ignore. Bucky was silent for several seconds before he involuntarily whined and awkwardly attempted to move his hips, wanting to create more friction.

Steve chuckled. “I guess our moment has been saved.”

“Stop being smug and fuck me.”

“Needy and bossy,” Steve noted. “I like that.”

Before Bucky could protest, Steve dipped down to plunder his neck and leave another bruise at the base of his throat. He toyed with the idea of leaving a trail of hickeys on his neck, but figured it would be very juvenile. He knew it wasn’t a good look for a kindergarten teacher to be sporting them in front of his students, so he opted for leaving the second hickey, along with the first, where Bucky could easily hide it with a turtleneck sweater or collared shirt.

After marking him again, Steve gripped Bucky’s knees and pushed them up to his chest, leaving his hole exposed. Bucky cupped the back of his knees, adjusting his position to reveal more of himself, making Steve grin at the sight. Running his fingers over the entrance, Steve felt the muscle contract, wanting to draw his fingers in and be fed. He was more than happy to feed it.

Quickly coating his cock with lube, Steve slowly pushed the tip of his cock into Bucky. With Bucky’s legs wrapped loosely around his waist, Steve groaned when his balls pressed up against Bucky’s ass. The wet heat was heavenly. Being surrounded by Bucky was one of the best things he’d experienced in a long time. 

“Christ, you feel fucking amazing,” he said breathlessly. Bucky mewled when Steve slowly started moving his hips. “So tight, baby… We definitely need to spend a weekend together and do nothing but fuck, sleep, and eat. All in that order.”

“Yeah, we should mark that down on a calendar,” Bucky replied, trying to catch his breath.

He moaned wantonly as Steve picked up the pace and adjusted the angle of Bucky’s hips. The change had Bucky howling, digging his fingers into the bedsheets, and tightening around Steve’s cock. Bucky’s physical and reactions pulled Steve into a simmering fervor. His mind focused on one singular purpose — to make Bucky come like he made Steve come. 

Grunting and groaning, sweat covered both men. The temperature of the air in the bedroom was both hot and chilly on their skin. Steve watched Bucky’s cock bounce against his stomach with every thrust. Reaching down, he wrapped his hand around it and fisted it in rhythm with his thrusts. He was rough and a little harsh but Bucky didn’t complain. He only begged for more. 

“Steve,” Bucky gasped.

“I know, baby,” Steve replied. 

Draping himself on top of Bucky, Steve bracketed his lover’s shoulders with his elbows. Bucky pawed at Steve, pulling him in for a series of hungry, needy kisses. His body ran hot not unlike he had just finished a long run. Steve paused to adjust his position to give himself more leverage. Bucky tightened his legs around his waist.

Bracing himself, Steve snapped his hips into Bucky, fucking him hard and deep, rocking their hips back and forth. The sound of damp skin smacking together filled the bedroom. The gasps and cries pouring out of Bucky’s mouth enticed Steve to continue. He could feel Bucky was close to coming.

“Let go, Buck,” Steve urged. “I wanna feel you come.”

“More…” Bucky breathed. “Just… more… please.”

After a couple of thrusts, Steve found his prostate again. Bucky arched up towards Steve before he cried out. Steve felt the cum hit their stomachs. Steve loved the feeling of being squeezed too tightly as Bucky pulsated around him. 

Slowing his pace, he continued to fuck Bucky through his orgasm. He dipped his head to kiss Bucky as he mewled his satisfaction. Steve continued to bury himself inside Bucky. The tension coiled deep inside him, itching to explode as each second passed. A minute later, Steve roared into the crook of Bucky’s neck, flooding him with cum. 

Boneless, he sunk into Bucky. Gentle hands glided up and down his back. He nuzzled against Bucky’s throat, making Bucky giggle. A couple of minutes later, Steve rolled off Bucky and sat up. 

“Roll onto your stomach, Buck.”

“What? Why?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

Giving him a skeptical look, Bucky rolled onto his stomach while Steve moved onto his knees. Effortlessly, he grabbed Bucky by the hips, pulling him up onto his knees. Bucky scrambled to get his elbows underneath him.

“Steve!”

“Just gonna clean you up a bit before we hit the shower.”

“Whatever happened to the concept of post-coital cuddling?”

“We can cuddle in the shower after that.” Steve wiped some cum that was trailing down Bucky’s perineum with his finger, making Bucky shiver. Then he lightly ran his tongue over Bucky’s hole. “But first, I’m cleaning you up.”

“Jesus Christ,” Bucky moaned into the mattress. 

Steve chuckled as he watched more cum leak out of Bucky. Licking the cum, he pushed his tongue inside Bucky, searching for more. He slid two fingers into Bucky, coating them with cum before removing them.

“On your back, Buck.”

With a curious expression, Bucky obeyed. Steve slipped his cum-coated fingers into Bucky’s mouth. He watched him suck on his fingers. With his other hand, Steve ran his fingers through the cum on Bucky’s stomach and tasted it. He grinned.

“Do you like it?” Bucky asks.

“I do. And I need to clean this up too.”

Steve purred and growled as he licked off all of the cum that had covered Bucky’s stomach. He looked up to see Bucky’s eyes starting to glaze over again. He chuckled.

“Are you alright, Buck?”

“I’m feeling great,” he replied with a lazy smile. “I was just thinking about going another round with you, but my dick isn’t feeling it at the moment.”

Steve chuckled at his thought.

“You know what?” asked Bucky. “If you sucked my cock, I’m betting we could go again.” 

Steve laughed, feeling like he hit the jackpot with Bucky’s insatiable appetite. But honestly, he felt pretty insatiable with Bucky too. “Are you always like this when it comes to sex?”

“When you’re involved, yes.”

Warmth bloomed across Steve’s face and chest. “I think we should shower and then see what’s in the fridge. You gotta be hungry by now.”

In a perfectly timed answer, Bucky’s stomach rudely growled, making him smile sheepishly at Steve.

“Well, that answers my question,” Steve smirked.

• • • • •

“I’m just going to heat up the leftovers from the potluck,” Steve called out as he pulled a long-sleeved t-shirt over his head. “Take your time, Buck. Wander around if you like. Dinner will be ready in about ten to fifteen minutes.”

“No problem,” Bucky replied, drying himself off with the extra bath towel Steve had given him before they showered together. They managed to get each other clean between kisses. Bucky was surprised they didn’t linger in the shower longer than they did. Having empty stomachs had that kind of effect. 

After getting dressed, curiosity got the better of Bucky. Walking roughly twenty feet from Steve’s room to the second bedroom, he poked his head into the ‘giant closet.’ Along one wall were closet storage units with open shelves, deep drawers, and rods for hangers. A full-length mirror in the corner of the room by the two windows. In the middle of the room was an island with additional storage space with drawers on one side and open shelves on the other. 

At the end of the island was a sitting bench made from the same material as the closet units, with a shelf for shoes and assorted footwear. On the opposite wall was another storage unit for outerwear and seasonal stuff. He spied a snowboard sitting on top of the unit. Everything was organized. 

For all the available storage, it didn’t seem like Steve had a ton of clothes occupying it. To be honest, Steve didn’t strike him as a clothes whore. What he did have was made from good quality fabrics that were meant to last. 

He heard the microwave beeping and the sound of dishes clattering on a counter. His stomach growled again. Taking one last look at the room, Bucky went downstairs.

• • • • •

Leaning against the kitchen island, Steve and Bucky wolfed down the potluck leftovers. 

“God, leftovers are great post-sex,” Bucky mumbled with a mouthful of food.

Steve arched an eyebrow and smiled. “Weren’t you taught not to talk with your mouth full?” 

“Yeah, but when I’m with adults, I loosen the rules a bit. I don’t do that around the school kids.”

“Two sets of rules?” Steve smirked. “One with adults and one with children?”

Bucky thought for a moment. “Okay, make that four sets of rules. One for children, another for work or strangers, the third for friends and family, and the fourth for lovers.” 

“That sounds awfully complicated.”

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. “Not really, it’s the only way to navigate certain situations. Don’t you have different sets of rules when it comes to certain subjects in your life?”

Bucky watched Steve consider the question for a moment. “I guess I do. But when you set it out like that, it seems a little duplicitous.”

“You’re a good man, Steve,” Bucky assured. “I wouldn’t call it duplicitous. It's just knowing who you’re dealing with.” 

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m just overthinking.” Steve reached out to rest his hand over Bucky’s. Looking down at their hands, Bucky smiled, watching Steve’s thumb softly stroke the top of his hand. He looked up and into Steve’s blue eyes.

“Tonight was fantastic, Buck. Thank you.” 

Bucky bit his lower lip. “Yeah, tonight was pretty awesome. I don’t know what else to say other than… Wow.” He leaned in to give Steve a sweet and affectionate kiss. They gazed into each other’s eyes until Steve looked away, unable to maintain eye contact because he would have ended up blushing.

“Uh, it’s starting to get a little late,” Steve noted. “I’d ask you to stay the night but you have something tomorrow right?”

“I do. I have to be at my parents’ place tomorrow morning. I can take a cab.”

“I’d rather take you back to your place. Gives me more time to spend with you.”

Bucky’s heart melted a little at Steve’s admission. “Why do you say the sappiest shit?”

“It’s not sappy,” Steve remarked. “I don’t know how to be sappy.” He placed his dirty plate and fork in the sink.

“You coulda fooled me,” Bucky replied, popping the last mini quiche into his mouth. “Do you want me to help with the dishes?”

Steve pulled him in for a quick kiss. “Nah, I’m good. Let’s get you home.”

“Okay, I’ll get my things from the bedroom and I’m good to go.”

• • • • •

Bucky unlocked his apartment door but paused before entering.

“Thanks for the ride. And thanks for giving me a quick tour of your home before we left,” Bucky snickered. Steve had hurriedly shown him the rest of the brownstone by walking around each floor like they were doing a drive-thru.

“I really should have given you the tour before we started mauling each other,” Steve said sheepishly. “I promise next time I will give you a proper tour of the place.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Bucky said, smiling gently. “I get the feeling that I’m going to be there more often.”

Steve looked a little awkward all of a sudden. Bucky regarded him with slight concern. “Is something wrong?” Bucky asked.

“I don’t want to leave.” Steve blurted out. “Oh shit, I think I have it bad for you, don’t I?”

Bucky thought Steve was an absolutely adorable dork. Cradling Steve’s face, he kissed him. “I think we both have it bad.” He kissed him again. “Go home. Go to sleep. Relax tomorrow and text me Monday evening and we can chat or you can come over. We can have dinner and watch a movie, have our third date here.”

Steve smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Good. It’s settled. See you in a couple of days.”

Steve nodded. “Good night, Buck.”

“Good night, Steve.”

Bucky smiled to himself as he watched Steve head down the hallway and enter the elevator.


	5. Here with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky continue to get to know each other. After spending the night at Bucky's place, Steve meets Scott, his roommate. Later, he surprises Bucky with a visit to Triskelion Elementary and ends up spending the day with him and his kindergarten kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello. Thanks for all the kudos and comments :) It is so appreciated. There's not much to say about this chapter because it can probably speak for itself. So, have fun and see ya on Friday when the next chapter drops.

_Steve: How was ur day?_

_Bucky: Good. The kids were well-behaved and entertained. How was ur shift?_

_Steve: Busy. 5-alarm fire. We were 1 of 5 companies called in. Still free 2nite? I’m a little tired but I really want to spend some time with u._

_Bucky: Wow, I heard about it during the lunch hour. It was under control by then. Come on over. I’ll pick something up for dinner on the way home. Watch a movie. Nothing strenuous ;-) Should be home in 30._

_Steve: Great! C u soon :)_

• • • • •

Happy and relieved to see the apartment building in the distance after turning the corner, Steve walked more purposefully, knowing he was that much closer to seeing Bucky. 

It had been a long shift at the firehouse that included a warehouse fire located near the Navy Yard. Luckily, no one had been inside the building except for a couple of security guards. They were the ones who had called 911 after safely leaving the warehouse before the FDNY arrived. The fire had burned extremely hot and extinguishing it had been a long and difficult process.

Simply put, Steve was bone-tired, but he wanted to see Bucky. It was the only reason he endured a simple subway ride and an eight-minute walk to Bucky’s apartment. He would have ridden his motorcycle but he wasn’t in the mood to handle the beast.

A glimpse of Bucky carrying a bag of groceries and a pizza box caught Steve’s attention. He was still too far away to call out to him without having everyone stare at him. Moving into a slow jog, Steve quickly closed the distance as Bucky stopped at the building’s entrance to pull out his keys.

“Bucky!” Steve called out.

Turning around to see who was calling him, Bucky spotted Steve running up to him, smiling. “Steve! Perfect timing.” He stepped forward to kiss Steve. “I don’t have a third arm otherwise I would have been inside already.”

“Good thing my timing is impeccable. I can grab the grocery bag.” 

“Yeah, that would be great.”

Steve reached out to take the bag. Seconds later, they were inside and waiting for the elevator to return to the main floor. The aroma of the pizza finally registered with Steve. His mouth watered. He realized he hadn’t eaten since he started his shift. His stomach grumbled, wanting to be fed.

“The pizza smells great,” Steve remarked. 

“It’s pepperoni and mushroom. Large. A classic. It’s from the pizzeria a block over. It's a nice little family-owned place. They mainly do take-out and delivery but they have a great menu. They have a veal parmigiana that is out of this world. They also have cannoli from a cousin who bakes small batches out of her kitchen. Most of it is frozen for take-home but it’s fresh every Tuesday.”

“Sounds like a nice little place. We should get the parmigiana next time and grab some cannoli too. I’m sorry if I smell like smoke, I cleaned up as best as I could.”

Bucky leaned in to smell him. “You’re a little smokey, but it’s not off-putting if that’s what you were wondering.”

The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. 

“How long did it take to put out the fire?” Bucky asked.

“It started around one this morning. We managed to put it out about eight hours later, but we stayed on-scene a few more hours to put out hot spots. It’s too early to say but the fire marshall is leaning towards labelling the fire as arson.”

The elevator doors opened on Bucky’s floor and they headed to his apartment.

“Holy shit, it’s been a long day for you,” said Bucky. “It would have been fine if you cancelled dinner. We would have done it another night.”

“Buck, it’s alright. I’ve managed days like this before and I’ll manage it again.” They stopped into front of Bucky’s apartment door. “Besides, I really wanted to see you.”

Bucky smiled softly at Steve’s small confession as he unlocked the door. “I’m glad you came even though I believe you should be at home sleeping.”

“And what? Miss the opportunity to eat this pizza with you?”

Bucky rolled his eyes and gave him the pizza box. “Make yourself useful. We’re going to have an easy evening. Dinner, talk, and maybe a movie on Netflix. Take the pizza and put it on the kitchen counter along with the groceries, please,” Bucky instructed, walking over to the sofa to dump his messenger bag.

After putting the pizza box on the counter, Steve looked in the grocery bag. He noted the bag of mixed salad greens, a container of fresh-cut fruit salad and a large bottle of ginger-flavored sparkling water.

“This looks way too healthy,” Steve remarked as Bucky removed the contents of the bag and poured them into two large bowls.

“It’s part of dinner. It’ll offset the pizza. Could you grab some plates? They’re in the cupboard to your left.”

“I don’t know if that’s how healthy eating works, Buck,” Steve replied, grabbing a couple of dinner plates and small bowls for the fruit salad.

Bucky chuckled. “I think we can indulge once in a while. Could you grab the balsamic vinaigrette from the fridge? Dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes.”

• • • • •

“I love a good pie,” Steve says, patting his tummy. “I definitely want to try their veal parmigiana.”

“Yeah,” Bucky replied, digging into a bowl of fruit salad. “We should. The next time you’re over, I’ll pick some up along with the cannoli. I normally get something there about once a month, but if I started going more often, I’d have to get some new clothes.”

“You’re pretty fit. I should know,” Steve said with a sly smile.

Bucky blushed. “You should talk. Your tummy is pretty much non-existent. The thing is I know my metabolism. Once a month is indulgent enough for me.”

Steve revelled in the simplicity of having a meal with Bucky. This was something he could easily get used to. He couldn’t recall wanting to be in someone’s presence as much as Bucky’s. It felt like they had known each other their whole lives. He yawned. 

Now that his belly was full, he was keenly aware his body was telling him he needed sleep. Unsurprisingly, Steve didn’t want to cut his evening with Bucky short just because his body needed rest.

“I’ve been thinking about getting back into drawing again,” Steve announced. 

Bucky smiled. “That’s great! I’d love to see your sketches. Any ideas on what will be the first thing you draw?”

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet,” Steve admitted. “I know I’d like to draw you eventually. I think I’ll start with simple shapes. Maybe next time I go grocery shopping I’ll draw some fruit and vegetables before I cook them.”

“Your mom will be happy that you’re picking up the pencil again.”

“Yeah, she’ll be happy,” Steve said with a smile. “She always wanted to have an art show with me. I always told her she was going to have to wait until the next life for us to do that.”

“Wow, that’s one way to say ‘no’ to your mom,” teased Bucky. “You never thought about doing something like that with her? A mother and son art show? That’s one way to hook an audience.”

“I’m not an artist, Buck. I’m a firefighter.”

“So? You can have a side interest. Why not be a firefighter who happens to create art? You’re really good, Steve.”

Steve mulled over Bucky’s words for a moment. He did miss the feel of having a pencil, a piece of charcoal, or a brush in his hand. The process was meditative and satisfying. The fact that he would have a finished project by the end of the process was the cherry on top of his art sundae.

But the idea of going beyond the stage of doing it only as a hobby was more than a little daunting. 

“I love your enthusiasm, Buck, but I’m not so sure.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to be compared to Ma. That’s what’s going to happen. I haven’t paid any dues.”

“So what? There are people out there who are well-known or famous for one thing and have gone on to write books or have had their artwork showcased in galleries because of their star power. No one bats an eye at them because they haven’t paid their dues. Not in the way you’re thinking anyway. What makes you think you can’t do the same?”

“I’m just a firefighter who happens to be the son of a well-known and well-respected artist.”

“You can’t choose the family you’re born into, Steve,” Bucky said with amusement.

“I know that. I didn’t mean it that way… I meant… I didn’t follow in my mother’s footsteps because I didn’t want to be constantly compared to her.”

“And following in your father’s footsteps was easier to deal with?”

Bucky had him there. Steve couldn’t figure out a valid counter argument for his observation. He rubbed his eyes. They were beginning to sting from dryness and the need for sleep.

“Good point. I don’t know. Maybe I just wanted to be closer to him because, as far as I was concerned, he died too soon. It was easier for me to live up to his name because it involved brains and physical work. It’s something that can be measured. Art is different. It’s subjective. It’s also deeply personal. You’re leaving yourself vulnerable to anyone who sees it. You need to have thick skin, but you also have to believe what you’re doing is right for you. My drawings and my paintings are personal. I don’t know if I can handle having strangers look at something I created and instantly judge me like that.”

Bucky looked at Steve thoughtfully. “You have thick skin. When you need it, it’s there at your disposal. But I understand your fear. There was a time I couldn’t play the piano in front of strangers. I had performance anxiety. To be honest, that’s one of the reasons I didn’t go into music like Becca.”

“But you play the guitar in front of your students.”

“Well, that’s the funny thing. I can play the guitar in front of them but you can’t get me to play the piano in front of them. I still can’t play the piano in front of strangers. It’s weird, I know, but it’s a conundrum of the brain, I think.”

“So at family gatherings, you and Becca weren’t humoring relatives by playing a duet on the piano?” 

“Oh God, when we were little we did. We hated it. We liked playing when there weren't a dozen pairs of eyeballs looking at us. But the novelty of having us perform at a moment’s notice eventually died away. Mom and Dad understood. They never instigated the impromptu performances, it was always the relatives. Mom only asked the bare minimum of us, she knew how we felt.”

Steve imagined a young Bucky and Becca grimacing as they played Chopsticks for their grandparents and extended family. While he thought it was an adorable sight, he also didn’t envy them.

“I’m sorry you have performance anxiety about playing the piano front of people, but I’m glad you can play the guitar in front of the kids.”

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. “It’s alright, but I really do miss playing the piano. One day when I have a house, I’ll get the upright piano from my parents’ place and tinker with it for myself.”

“Doesn’t she need it to teach?”

“She has the baby grand for that. The upright is where Becca and I learned to play the piano. We did play on the baby grand but it always felt so formal to me. I preferred the easy intimacy of playing on an upright. The baby grand is going to Becca when Mom and Dad retire. They want to do some travelling so Becs and I will get the big toys.”

Steve yawned again and it didn’t go unnoticed.

“Okay, I think you need to go home, crawl into bed, and get some sleep,” said Bucky.”

“I’m fine,” Steve protested. “I’m probably going into a carb coma. It’ll be fine. I know I can stay up longer.”

Bucky looked into his eyes. “They’re looking a little red, Steve. You’re tired. How did you get here? You took the subway, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Good. You’re spending the night here.”

Steve hadn’t expected to spend the night as appealing as it was. “Buck, you don’t have to do that.”

“You’re actually turning down an opportunity to sleep with me?” Bucky teased.

Steve blushed. “No, it’s not that. We weren’t planning on doing anything like that tonight and I don’t want to impose on you. Once I get some fresh air, I’ll be fine.”

“You need sleep. Take a shower. I have extra towels and a spare toothbrush. I have a t-shirt and a pair of sweats that should fit you. I’ll leave them on the bed. Then you go to sleep. I’m going to clean up here and then I have some work to do. I’ll join you later. If you need anything, let me know.”

Steve stared at Bucky with a mix of amazement and fondness. “Okay.”

• • • • •

The hot water beating down on Steve’s body had been a welcome relief after a long day. Using Bucky’s soap and shampoo, he washed the remnants of the warehouse fire down the drain. 

Steve looked in the mirror after stepping out of the shower. He felt refreshed, but he could see how tired he looked. Quickly blow drying his hair, he wrapped a towel around his waist and headed straight for Bucky’s bedroom with his clothes bundled under his arm. 

A clean set of clothes that Bucky had set aside for him were sitting on the bed. Setting his clothes on top of the dresser, Steve changed into the t-shirt and sweatpants, and crawled into bed. He had forgotten to ask which side of the bed Bucky slept on. But he figured for one night, Bucky was probably willing to sleep on whatever side of the bed that was left for him to occupy. 

The pillows, sheets, and duvet carried Bucky’s scent, comforting him. He took several deep breaths happy to be finally on his back. Less than a minute later, he fell asleep.

• • • • •

Bucky’s phone pinged as he was going over the next day’s lesson plan. A quick glance at the text message had him smiling.

_Becca: How was date #2 w/Steve? It was Saturday right?_

_Bucky: Yes, Saturday. It was great._

_Becca: Where did u go?_

_Bucky: Glow bowling_

_Becca: Different. I’m impressed. Get laid?_

_Bucky: Ur nosy._

_Becca: Did you??? Don’t lie._

_Bucky: Fine, I did._

_Becca: Good._

_Bucky: Good?_

_Becca: It was obv ur into him by the way you talk about him. I sense he’s into you too?_

_Bucky: Yeah, he is._

_Becca: When’s nxt date?_

_Bucky: 2nite. He’s here. Sleeping._

_Becca: U wore him out already? It’s not even 10._

_Bucky: NO. He had a long day. Tired when he arrived but wanted to see me. Making him sleep. Off tomorrow._

_Becca: R u in bed?_

_Bucky: No. Just preparing for tomorrow’s class. Will join him in bed. TO SLEEP._

_Becca: Fine, fine. Will stop bugging u for now._

_Bucky: Thx. When are you coming back home?_

_Becca: This wknd. On the road rn but making pit stop. Leaving soon. Just wanted to check in with u._

_Bucky: I’m good. Thx for checking in. Have a safe trip. C u later._

_Becca: Have fun w/ Steve ;)_

• • • • •

A couple of hours and a quick shower later, Bucky walked quietly into the bedroom. He could see Steve’s sleeping form from the ambient street light illuminating the room. 

For a second, it felt a little odd that there was someone sleeping in his bed. Until now, no one had occupied space in that bed except him. He never brought anyone home before. He was used to seeing Hope walk out of Scott’s bedroom, and he knew Scott wouldn’t mind if he had someone sleep over, but Bucky never wanted the awkward moment of having to kick someone out of bed because he had work the next morning. Moreso, he never liked anyone enough to have them stick around for breakfast.

Steve was different. Bucky had no qualms about waking up next to him. 

Carefully, he slipped under the covers, and watched Steve sleep for a moment. Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss to Steve’s cheek. He remained there for a second, inhaling his scent. Steve stirred and blinked his eyes open into the semi-darkness. Feeling Bucky’s presence and breath on his cheek, his eyes focussed on the man next to him. Bucky smiled.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Bucky said softly. “Just wanted to give a goodnight peck on the cheek.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Steve grinned sleepily. “What time is it now?”

“Just after midnight. I’m guessing you were out for a couple of hours. You look comfortable.”

“I am very comfortable. Snuggle with me?”

“Sure. Let me set the alarm, though.” Bucy reached for the clock to set the alarm.

“What time do you need to get up?”

“Seven. Everything is packed, lunch is sitting in the fridge and ready to go. I just have to make breakfast and that’s it.” Bucky slipped into Steve’s arms and gave him a kiss.

“Okay, I could escort you to work if you like.”

“That’s very sweet of you. Don’t you have stuff to do other than walk me to work?”

“Probably, but I can do that after. It’ll only be 8:30 or something like that, right? I think I have laundry to do and maybe hit an art supply store and pick up some paper and pencils.”

“So you are getting back into drawing,” Bucky smiled.

“I think so. Gotta file off the rust and get ready to draw you one of these days.”

“You’ll want me naked in bed, I assume.”

“Always.”

Bucky rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly. “Go back to sleep.”

• • • • •

The late September morning light softly flooded the bedroom, waking Steve up. He felt the weight of someone snuggled up to his chest. Blinking at his surroundings, he remembered he was in Bucky’s bed. Turning his head to gaze at Bucky, he paused to listen to his soft snores. 

Reaching over to the nightstand, he grabbed his watch to check the time. Thirty minutes before seven. Of course he would wake up before the alarm clock, but it was one of the best sleeps he had had in a long time. He wondered if it was because he went to bed by ten or if it was because there was another warm body in bed to keep him company.

Yawning, he wondered how he could gently extricate himself from Bucky’s arms so he could pee, wash up, and start a pot of coffee. Slowly, he loosened Bucky’s arms, managing to keep him from waking up. He startled when Bucky pulled his arm out of his grasp, rolling over so that his back was facing Steve, and went back to sleep.

As soon as he climbed out of bed, Steve hastily but quietly headed for the bathroom. After brushing his teeth, Steve wandered into the kitchen. He rummaged through the cabinets in search of coffee. Unable to locate anything that remotely resembled a container of ground coffee or a bag of coffee beans, he checked the freezer. Sitting inside the freezer door was a bag of ground coffee. Smiling, Steve grabbed it and measured out several teaspoons to put into the filter basket. 

Once he poured enough water to fill up the reservoir, he flipped on the switch and checked the fridge to see what he could cook for breakfast. Bucky had eggs and sourdough bread. Poached eggs on toast was easy enough without a ton of clean up. He recalled seeing a jug of white vinegar and retrieved it from one of the cabinets.

Once Steve had turned on the heat for the two-quart sauce pan and brought out the sourdough bread, he poured himself a mug of coffee and had a sip. It felt good going down his throat; that was the proper way to wake up. 

As he prepared to start poaching the eggs, the apartment door opened. Steve turned to see who was walking in. The dark-haired, green-eyed man stopped in his tracks as the door closed behind him. Blinking, he stared at Steve, either unsure of what to say or trying to remember if he had ever met Steve before.

“Uh, good morning,” Steve said in a calm, low voice. “You must be Scott. I’m Steve. Bucky is still sleeping.”

A look of relief washed over Scott’s face. “Oh, thank God. For a minute I thought I had entered the wrong apartment. It was either that or I walked into the middle of burglary.” 

Steve chuckled. “If I was a thief, I’m not a very good thief since I have the audacity to make myself breakfast before taking off with my ill-gotten goods.”

He walked over to shake Steve’s hand. “Bucky told me you were seeing each other. It’s good to finally meet you, although I hadn’t planned on meeting you this early in the morning. I just came back to pick up a couple of things I forgot I needed before I head in to work.”

Steve smiled. “It’s good to meet you too. I share the same sentiment. It might be a little too early to meet, but here we are. Would you like some coffee? It’s fresh.”

“Oh, no I’m good. I had some juice already. I’ll grab some coffee on my way into work. I don’t want to interrupt the two of you.”

“You’re not interrupting anything,” Steve clarified. “I’m just going to make breakfast. It’s Tuesday. He has school. There’s no way we have time to do anything more than have breakfast and get to work.” 

Steve thought Scott was hilarious for thinking he was about to interrupt something between him and Bucky. Both men heard Bucky’s alarm go off.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” said Scott. 

Steve watched him head straight for his bedroom. He turned back to the kitchen to grab a mug for Bucky. Just as Steve poured coffee into the mug, Bucky walked out of the bedroom looking a little rumpled in his t-shirt. Smiling, he walked over to grab the mug Steve held out for him. After taking a quick sip, he leaned in to kiss Steve.

“Good morning,” said Bucky.

“Good morning, Buck. Scott’s here. He came by to pick something.”

“Ah, I assume you two met?”

“Yeah, he, uh, looked stunned for a few seconds.”

“Deer in the headlights?”

“Sorta.”

“Did you see the wheels spinning?”

“I did.”

“He had that look down pat when we were kids. He’s a regular comedian. I was always the foil to his hapless shit.”

“Never a dull moment?”

“Nope, but since he’s met Hope, she’s taken on the role of the sensible one instead of me. It’s a win-win for everyone.

“Good morning, Bucky. What’s a win-win for everyone?” Scott asked as he walked out of this bedroom.

“I was just explaining to Steve that Hope is the one who saves your ass now instead of me.”

“I would agree with that assessment,” smiled Scott. “I hate to pop in and pop back out in less than ten minutes but all my good clothes are at Hope’s so I’ll catch you guys later?”

“Sure, whenever, man,” Bucky smiled. 

“Great! Nice meeting ya, Steve.”

After Scott walked out the door, Steve watched Bucky walk into the kitchen to see what he had been up to. A minute later, Bucky finally spoke.

“You’re very organized. Should I take a guess at what you’re making for breakfast?”

“If you want to.”

“Poached eggs and toast?”

“Correct.”

“The vinegar gave it away. I don’t have any hollandaise sauce so there was no way you were going to make eggs benedict.”

“Eggs benedict is a little too advanced for me,” Steve replied, wrapping arm around Bucky’s waist. “Why don’t you wash up? If I timed this right, breakfast will almost be ready by the time you’re done.”

Bucky kissed him on the cheek. “Whatever you say, chef.”

• • • • •

“Thanks for convincing me to sleep over.”

“Thanks for making breakfast and escorting me to work,” Bucky replied.

After Scott left, making the poached eggs and toast was a simple task that left them enough time to eat and get ready to leave for Triskelion.

“It’s the least I could do for taking care of me,” Steve smiled. “I have to admit I loved waking up next to you.” Glancing at Bucky’s profile, he noticed his semi-bashful smile. 

“Same here. It was nice having someone to share the bed with. Can I tell you a secret?”

“Sure. My lips are sealed.”

“You’re the first person who has slept in my bed. I’ve never brought anyone home before. It was never something I entertained as an option because my space is my own. It’s kinda sacred if you understand what I mean.”

Steve narrowed his eyes for a second, absorbing that piece of information. He slowly smiled at what that meant.

“I do understand,” Steve replied. “I’m honored. I feel kinda special.”

“You are special to me, there’s no denying that. I just wanted you to know.”

“I’m glad I made the decision to escort you to work otherwise I wouldn’t have heard your secret.”

“I would have told you my secret eventually. You just learned about it sooner,” Bucky smiled. 

“Does that mean there will be more sleepovers in the future?”

“Well, what do you think, Lieutenant Rogers?” Bucky asked, arching his eyebrow.

Steve eyed him for a moment, already knowing what his answer was. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.”

Walking onto the school grounds, Steve noticed Nat sitting on the steps to the school’s entrance with a cup of coffee in hand. He could see Nat smiling as she took a sip from it.

“Steve. Bucky. Good morning,” she smirked.

Steve smirked back. “Oh hey, good morning.”

“Hey, Nat,” Bucky chimed in.

“Just making sure Bucky arrives safely?” Nat asked.

“Thought he might like some company,” Steve answered with a shrug. 

Nat gave them a knowing look.

“Alright, you know what? I don’t think I need to know what kind of telepathic conversation you two are having,” Bucky said with a smile. “I’m going to my classroom to get ready for the little tykes.” He turned at Steve. “Thanks for the company. Chat later?”

“You bet, Buck.”

Steve and Nat watched Bucky enter the school.

“When’s the wedding, Steve? Please schedule it when school’s out.”

Steve shook his head. “Nat, we’re nowhere near that stage.”

“Yet.”

Steve sighed at Nat’s persistence. “When are you and Clint going to tie the knot?”

“After you and Bucky go on your honeymoon.”

Steve rolled his eyes.

“Am I wrong in thinking there’s a ninety-nine percent chance that you’ll be each other’s emergency contact?”

“It hasn’t even been a month, Nat.”

“It’s almost a month, Steve, and it’s never too soon to consider a new emergency contact.”

“You’re dangerous.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“Honestly, Nat, I don’t know why you’re so interested in our relationship.”

“I have three reasons. First reason is because, along with Sam, you’re one of my closest friends. If Sam was seeing someone, I would be just as invested. Whoever you two decide on sharing your life with, not only are they becoming part of your families, they become part of the circle of friends you have. Gotta make sure the chemistry works on all levels, Steve.

“The second reason is because Bucky is a great colleague and a good friend. I want him to be happy too. He’s a great guy who will be a great partner for some lucky guy. I honestly believe that lucky guy could be you. I know both of your personalities. As someone looking in from the outside, it’s a great fit. I also know relationships are a lot of work, and I know you and Bucky will never not put in the work.

“Reason number three — I care about the both of you. I’m rooting for you guys to succeed. I want the both of you to be happy.”

Steve heard the sincerity in her voice. She had seen what his failed relationships had done to his self-esteem. She and Sam were there to lend their ears and shoulders whenever shit hit the fan. He couldn’t have asked for better friends. He was grateful every day that they were a part of his life.

“You’re not concerned that it could all go to pot between me and Bucky?”

“Not in the slightest,” Nat replied confidently. “I’m not saying there won’t be turbulent moments, there will be, but I believe that together you and Bucky are more than capable of dealing with those moments.”

“Your confidence in our relationship is, uh… Unsettling, yet appreciated.”

Nat chuckled. “You’re welcome.”

They noticed a small handful of students making their way towards the school. Soon, more students would start streaming onto the school grounds and into the school itself. Steve took this as his cue to leave.

“Well, I should let you get back to work. I’ll catch ya later, Nat.”

“Don’t be a stranger, Steve. It’s nice catching up with you.”

• • • • •

Arriving at the station for his next shift, Steve noticed six plastic milk crates sitting by the lockers, filled with school supplies. He stared at the crates for a moment. He was surprised by the amount that everyone had managed to scrounge up. 

The crates were organized by their contents. Two crates were filled with books, another carried paint supplies and crayons. A fourth crate held an assortment of paper for drawing, painting, and crafting. A fifth crate carried small aprons and clothes for costumes and role-playing games. The last crate held learning games and toys to stimulate the imaginations of young minds.

Steve crouched down to examine the items. As he went through each crate, his chest bloomed with humility and love for his crew.

“Like our little haul?” 

Steve glanced up to see Carol leaning against one of the lockers, smiling at him. “Yeah, this is a surprise. I wasn’t sure what to expect but this wasn’t it. Not gonna lie, I’m a little shocked. This is amazing. Mr. Barnes and the kids are gonna be really surprised by this. Where is everyone?”

“They’re in the kitchen, waiting for Thor and Peter to finish making breakfast burritos.”

“Oh my God, they’re actually going through with it?”

Carol laughed. “They did lose a bet to Val and May. I doubt food poisoning is on the docket for today. It’ll be fine.”

“I know but they usually make a mess of the kitchen when they cook together.”

“Nothing to worry about. They’ll clean up after themselves this time. That was part of the bet,” she smiled. “Shall we check in on them and the state of the kitchen?”

“Yeah, we should,” replied Steve. “I also want to thank them for collecting the school supplies. They did such a fantastic job. Thank you for doing your part too.”

“You’re welcome, Steve. They did a pretty good job. My contributions were the aprons and costumes. I know some women who used to make theatre costumes for children and they had a boatload of stuff from shows they created pieces for. They had some items that needed a new home instead of being buried in mothballs and not seeing the light of day again. Did you drive here or did you take the subway?”

“I took the subway. I guess I’ll come back with the car and load it up. Where did the crates come from? They probably need to go back to whoever lent them to us.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s part of the donation.”

Steve blinked at her. “Seriously? Wow, this is awfully generous.”

Carol grinned. “Come on, let’s check in on our resident chefs.” 

• • • • •

The next day at ten o’clock in the morning, Steve pulled up to Triskelion’s loading area where couriers usually parked their vehicles whenever they came by to drop off or pick up packages from the administration office.

He had texted Nat about the supplies for Bucky’s class. She told him that he could unload the crates in the loading area and she would tell him where he could park his SUV.

Nat stood outside waiting for Steve with a couple of hand trucks for the crates. He parked his vehicle and climbed out.

“Hey, thanks for the help,” he said.

“I should be the one thanking you,” she replied. “What you and the station have done is a wonderful gesture. Six milk crates filled with school supplies? That’s incredibly kind-hearted but much needed. I’m very impressed. Let’s load the crates onto the hand trucks. You can park in my parking spot since I don’t use it much. It’s spot number 28. Come back here and we’ll pay Bucky and his class a visit.”

• • • • •

Heading down the hall towards Bucky’s classroom, Steve was buzzing with excitement about surprising him with the donations. But as much as he believed Bucky would appreciate the supplies, he wasn’t entirely confident that Bucky wouldn’t see it as him over-stepping some hidden boundaries, that Steve was being presumptuous and swooping in to save him in some roundabout manner. That wasn’t the intent and he hoped Bucky wouldn’t see it that way.

“How do you think Bucky will react?” Steve thought out loud.

“What do you think?” Nat replied.

“I hope he likes the gesture.”

“You don’t sound entirely confident.”

“I’m just hoping he doesn’t read what I’m doing as me wanting to look like some sort of hero. It’s not just me who put this together. Everyone at the station agreed to pitch in. They did the work.”

“Steve, you’re not one of those assholes. I’m pretty sure Bucky won’t read it that way, so you had better kick that thought to the curb.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” smiled Steve.

Arriving at Bucky’s classroom, Steve looked in to see Bucky organizing the students at tables. Each student had paper and pencil in hand, waiting for the start of a lesson. Neither Bucky or the children had spotted Nat and Steve yet.

“Stand behind me,” Nat suggested as they stopped at the classroom door.

“I can’t really hide behind you.”

“You’re not hiding behind me, you’re just standing behind me. There’s a difference,” she said with an arched eyebrow. 

Steve gave her a cheeky smile.

Nat knocked and waited for Bucky to answer the door. Steve watched Bucky walking towards the door. The look of recognition crossed his face when he saw Nat. That look morphed to surprise and curiosity when he noticed Steve. 

“Hi,” Bucky said after opening the door. “What’s going on? Steve, why are you here?” His gaze landed on the crates. “Are those for the students? What’s going on here?”

“Yes, these are for your students. If you could let us in, we’ll explain everything,” Nat replied with a smile.

As soon as she and Steve walked into the room, the students recognized their assistant principal but some of the students also recognized Steve. They also noticed the crates. Sitting in their chairs, they craned their necks in an attempt to get a better look at what the adults had brought to show them.

“Class, we have a couple of surprise visitors,” Bucky announced. “You all know Assistant Principal Romanoff.” Natasha waved at the students. “But how many of you remember this gentleman?” Steve waved at the students as well.

Some of the students raised their hands while others forgot their manners and shouted out ‘firefighter’ which had the other students, who had been quiet, wide-eyed with excitement.

Bucky smiled, raising his hands in a placting manner. “Okay, okay. Those who said ‘firefighter’ were correct. This is Lieutenant Steve Rogers from Rescue 2 and it looks like he and Ms. Romanoff have something to share with you.”

Nat stepped forward to speak to the students. “Hi. I’m sorry we interrupted your class,” she began. “It looks like you were about to start a lesson.”

“We were about to go over the alphabet and start learning some new words,” Bucky clarified with an easy smile. “We’ll go back to it after you’re finished visiting.”

“Good.” Nat looked back at the students. “So you must be wondering why Lieutenant Rogers and I are here.”

The students nodded their answer.

“Well, we’re here because Rescue 2 collected some paint, crayons, books, and costumes that you can play with while you’re here in class. They’re gifts.”

Some of the children smiled when they heard the words ‘paint’, ‘crayons’, and ‘books.’ Steve quickly glanced at Bucky who was staring at him. Steve smiled and gave him a small shrug.

“Christmas” said one child.

Nat smiled with amusement. “It’s not exactly Christmas, but it will probably feel like Christmas once everyone sees what Rescue 2 has brought for you. I’m going to have Lieutenant Rogers say a few words before we all see what’s in these crates.”

Steve stared at Nat. He knew he might have to say something to the children but he didn’t realize how quickly that moment arrived. He opened his mouth, but closed it again, trying to get the wheels in his mind to spin fast enough to come up with something to say to the class.

To buy a little time, Steve grabbed one of the small chairs, set it in front of the students and attempted to sit in it. The students laughed as Steve awkwardly settled into the chair. He heard Nat snicker quietly and Bucky laughing along with the students.

“Alright,” Steve began. “So the reason I’m here for another visit is because each one of you made a big impression on me and the crew when we came here for Fire Safety Day. And we wanted to show our appreciation for this class by bringing some things we thought the class would enjoy using. We had some folks who helped us with collecting all this stuff because they heard what a great class you are and they wanted to show their appreciation too. So do you want to see what’s in the crates?”

All the students eagerly said ‘yes’ which made Steve smile. He quickly unloaded the crates off the hand trucks while Bucky and Nat had the students move over to the reading hut area.

Seeing that the students had settled onto the mat-covered floor, Steve picked up the crate holding the books and brought it over to the group.

“Mr. Barnes, would you mind helping me with the show-and-tell presentation?” Steve asked. “I think it might need your touch.”

Bucky smiled fondly at him. “I don’t mind at all. I can certainly help you with that.”

• • • • •

Bucky glanced at his watch. Nat went back to the office five minutes ago and recess was in ten minutes. The students were still enthralled with Steve and all the school supplies he brought with him. He had enjoyed watching Steve interact with the students. Steve was patient and gentle with the children even though it seemed like he wasn’t sure how to answer some of their questions. 

He was touched by all the donations. It made his heart swell. He didn’t think he could adore Steve more than he already did. 

“Alright class, I hate to interrupt but I have to let you know that we’re going to have recess soon so I need all of you to put on your shoes and jackets and we’ll be ready to go out when the bell rings.”

The students were excited to leave the classroom so they eagerly went to get ready to go outside. Steve started picking up some of the items from the crates that the students had left on the floor. 

“Are you going to come out with us for recess?” Bucky asked. “Help me supervise?”

“Sure. I’d love to,” replied Steve. “We can chat while we’re out there.”

• • • • •

Watching his students explore the playground and climb the play structure, Bucky was amused to see Steve getting roped into helping a couple of the students navigate the spiral staircase that led to the top of the slide. Once the students found their bearings, Steve returned to Bucky’s side.

“Thank you for the donations,” said Bucky. 

“You’re welcome, Buck,” smiled Steve.

“I wasn’t expecting them when I was talking to you about the grant money.”

“Consider it a gift from some people with big hearts. I hope it helps.”

“It does. Believe me, it does. The costumes and aprons are a bonus. That wasn’t part of my wishlist but the students seem really drawn to those items.”

“So I guess there’s role-playing in their future?”

“Looks like it.” 

“Any word on the grant?”

Bucky sighed. “No word yet. You gotta love bureaucracy. I’m just going to assume the money will arrive in the new year. The donations will make it easier for me to execute my lesson plans, so thank you. Tell everyone at the station the students say ‘thank you.’ They’ll make good use of the donations.”

“I’ll let them know,” smiled Steve. “On behalf of Rescue 2, you’re more than welcome.”

“You’re welcome to stay for the day as a guest, unless you have something to do. I don’t want to get in the way of other plans. I know it’s asking a lot of your time, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. You know Nat wouldn’t mind.” 

Steve smiled. “I know she wouldn’t mind. I’d love to stay for the day, as long as it wouldn’t be too disruptive to the class and your lesson plan.”

“I can roll with the disruptions,” Bucky said confidently. “I think I should be able to cover everything I want from today’s lesson plan with a little help from you, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. Does that mean I’m your unofficial teaching assistant?”

“I’d say so. Nat has been trying to bring in a TA for me since the end of the last school year. It’s been difficult for some reason. But at least I get a taste of what it’ll be like to finally have someone help me wrangle the students for the day.”

Steve laughed. “I don’t know how helpful I’ll be, but I’m looking forward to seeing you work your magic on them.”

Bucky wasn’t sure if he was blushing or if it was the sun shining on his face, but his cheeks were feeling quite warm. Maybe he was simply pleased as punch that Steve would be spending the day with him.

“That’s generous of you to say,” he replied. “We’ll see if you change your mind at the end of the school day. We should let Nat know that you’re staying.”

“Yeah, we should,” Steve agreed. “So what’s on the agenda once recess is over?”

“We’re going to put away the new supplies. Then we go back to writing the alphabet and learn some new words. That should take us to lunch. The kids will help put away with some of the supplies. It'll be good for them to learn to co-operate and work with others. You and I can handle the rest of the supplies once class is dismissed for the day. ”

“Do any of the kids go home for lunch? I don’t know what’s the norm these days.”

“The kids stay for lunch these days. There’s a large lunchroom and we have at least three teachers plus staff supervising. We all take turns doing lunchroom duty. You probably didn’t bring lunch so there’s a bodega five minutes away. The owner’s wife makes great burritos. I’m not on lunch duty today, so we can walk over and pick up some lunch if you like.”

“Yeah, that would be great, Buck.”

• • • • •

“Okay, where are these burritos you’ve been talking about since we left the school?” Steve asked as he followed Bucky into the bodega.

Bucky grinned. “Are we hungry?” 

“I might be.”

“Uh huh, right.” Bucky waved to the owner who was restocking the coolers with juice and pop drinks. “Hola, Señor Hernandez. ¿Cómo estás?”

“Estoy bien, Bucky. Are the children behaving in class?”

“So far, they have been. We’ll see how they feel this afternoon. I’m just picking up some lunch.” Bucky gestured to Steve. “Este es mi amigo, Steve o Esteban.”

Señor Hernandez sized up the man standing beside Bucky. “Se ve fuerte.”

“Gracias, señor. Sí, soy fuerte,” replied Steve.

His reply startled both Bucky and Mr. Hernandez. They stared at him in surprise. He shrugged his shoulders. “I know enough to order food and have a basic conversation.”

Mr. Hernandez smiled and broke out in laughter. “I like him.”

Bucky shook his head and chuckled. “You’re full of surprises.”

“Gotta keep ya on your toes,” grinned Steve.

“Vamanos. Vamos por algo de comer,” Bucky said with a smile, walking away from Steve who immediately started following him.

“I understood that,” he grinned.

Bucky walked to the back of the bodega where there was a small counter and a chalkboard hanging on the wall with a small list of takeout items. An older woman stood behind, smiling at the two men. 

“Hola Bucky.”

“Hola, Señora Hernandez. ¿Cómo estás?”

“Muy bien, mijo. What would you like?”

“Nos gustaría pedir dos burritos de pollo, por favor.”

“Bueno. Dame dos minutos.”

As Mrs. Hernandez walked back to the prep counter beside the flat top grill and stove top burners to assemble their lunch order, Bucky felt Steve press his shoulder against his.

“I didn’t know you could speak Spanish,” said Steve. Bucky could hear the smile in his voice. “Not gonna lie, hearing you speak Spanish is kind of a turn on.”

Bucky chuckled. “I could say the same for you. You roll your ‘R’s well. Your accent isn’t bad at all.”

“You sound like a natural. Did you learn it in school?”

“Becca and I were introduced to it in school but it wasn’t very extensive. Mom had a student, Isabel Garcia, whose family were originally from Mexico. Her parents were second generation immigrants. Her mom would always sit and wait during the lesson. She loved hearing Isabel play. Becca and I were thirteen at the time when Isabel started taking lessons with mom. And we would always visit with Mrs. Garcia and work on our Spanish, but mom always made us ask first if it was alright to visit with her. She didn’t want us monopolizing Mrs. Garcia’s time if she wanted some quiet time to herself instead of helping us.”

“Your mom was right to insist that you ask,” Steve said, agreeing with Bucky’s mother. 

“Yeah, she was right. Fortunately, Mrs. Garcia didn’t mind teaching us a bit of the language. She was a junior high teacher, so she knew how to handle us. She gave us little assignments, but a lot of our time was spent doing mainly conversational Spanish. We learned a lot from her.”

“It sounds like a great experience.”

“It was. We were under her tutelage until Becca and I started college. We didn’t have much time to visit with her anymore.”

“Does Isabel still take lessons with your mom?”

“No, she completed her Grade 8 piano a few years ago and she got into Juillard.”

“That’s awesome, Buck.”

“Mom was so proud and Becca told Isabel that if she had any questions about Juillard and the curriculum, she was more than welcome to contact her. What about you? I know you said you know enough to order food. Where did you pick up your Spanish?”

“There weren’t any Spanish classes at school. But I had classmates who spoke Spanish and we’d hang out together. I’d hear them talk in Spanish during our free periods and I started picking up on a couple of words and then they asked me if I wanted to learn some Spanish, I said sure and I learned all the swear words.”

Bucky chuckled. “That’s usually the first thing anybody wants to learn when they start a new language.”

“It was wasted because I ended up forgetting most of those words,” Steve admitted sheepishly which made Bucky laugh a little harder.

“But I read books and listened to Spanish-speaking programs. Sam and Nat speak some Spanish. They’re both more fluent than me, though.”

“Okay, chicos, here are your burritos,” said Mrs. Hernandez as she placed the wrapped burritos on the counter. “Do you want a bag for them?”

“No, it’s alright,” replied Bucky. “Muchas gracias por la comida.” 

“De nada, Bucky,” she smiled. “Tenga un buen día.”

“Igualmente.”

After paying for their food, Bucky watched Steve quickly unwrap the burrito and take a big bite out of it as they headed back to the school. 

“I didn’t know you were that hungry,” he commented.

“I didn’t think I was either until I got a good whiff of it. It smells so good,” Steve replied after swallowing his first bite. “The Pavolvian dog has nothing on me. Mrs. Hernandez makes great food. I’m seriously thinking that one of my life goals should be to learn to cook authentic Mexican food.”

“Have you been to Mexico?” Bucky asked.

“Once. It was a couple of years ago. I went to Mexico City. The people were great and the street food was fantastic. I did a few food tours, I just couldn’t get enough. Have you ever been to Mexico?”

“No, I haven’t. I’d love to go one day.”

“Maybe we could go together.” Steve sounded hopeful.

Bucky smiled at his offer. The idea of exploring the world with Steve held so much appeal. “I’d like that very much.”

• • • • •

“Alright class, do you know what time it is now?”

None of the students knew the answer as they stared at Bucky and shook their heads.

“Okay, I’ll give you a hint,” he said as he stood up and walked over to his desk. 

Steve watched the students stare at their teacher wondering what he was going to do. They watched Bucky pull his guitar case out from behind the desk. The children suddenly shouted ‘Sing!’ He chuckled at the students’ excitement. 

“That’s right,” grinned Bucky. “It’s music time and we have Lieutenant Rogers as our audience so let’s show him how much fun singing is.”

He noticed Steve grinning from ear to ear. He looked just as eager as the students about music time, but he guessed it was for a slightly different reason. 

“I’m pretty excited to hear everyone sing,” Steve told the students. “I remember walking by this room with Rescue 2 and we heard you singing. You guys sounded great.”

The students smiled at Steve, telling him how well they could sing all at once. He was too amused to remind them that they should speak one at a time.

“Alright class, remember that it’s best to speak one at a time. Lieutenant Rogers can’t hear what all of you are saying if you all talk at once.”

The students settled down and returned to watching Bucky sling the guitar strap over his shoulder and walk back to them. Seating himself in the chair, he strummed the guitar strings, making adjustments to fine tune the pitch.

“So, what do you want to sing today before we all get to go home?”

The children paused to think for a moment. One student raised her hand. 

“Yes, Yvonne? Was there a song you wanted to sing?”

“ _Old MacDonald had a farm_ ,” she answered shyly.

The other children agreed heartily. 

“That’s a good song. Do we all remember what our farm animals sound like?”

The answer was a resounding ‘yes’.

“Good, we all sing, but I tell you the animal you have to make the sound for, okay?”

The children nodded.

Bucky glanced at Steve. “Would you like to join us? The more the merrier.”

Steve grimaced slightly. “I might, but I don’t know how good my singing voice is.”

“I’m pretty sure you sound great. Besides, your voice will blend in with their voices. I’m not too concerned if someone is off-key.”

“Fine, I’ll give it a go,” Steve replied with a smile. “But I have to warn you that the last time I sang it was in college and I think I was under the influence.”

An image of an inebriated college-age Steve popped into Bucky’s head, making him smirk. “You’ll be fine. Just follow my lead.”

Steve arched a brow, indicating to Bucky that he understood the small hint of a deeper meaning.

Bucky smiled to himself as he played a few chords, capturing his students’ attention.

“Ready? One, two, three, four… ”

• • • • •

After the first verse of _Old MacDonald Had a Farm_ , Steve finally joined Bucky and the students by adding his voice to the sing-along. Bucky’s face brightened when he heard Steve’s voice in the mix. His chest bloomed with warmth at the expression. He wanted to make Bucky feel that way for the rest of their lives.

After the students clucked, moo’d, baaa’d, gobbled, barked, meowed and oinked their way through the song, they were vocal about the fact they wanted to sing one more song. Steve caught Bucky’s small look of resignation as if he knew what song they already wanted to sing. He wondered what song could possibly have Bucky feeling resigned.

“You know what song you want to sing?” he asked the class.

“Yes!” they replied excitedly.

“Alright, would you like to tell Lieutenant Rogers what song we’re going to sing?”

The students nodded eagerly.

“Okay, on the count of three… one, two, three…”

“ _Baby Shark!_ ” shouted the students.

Steve furrowed his brow. “ _Baby Shark_?”

“Yeah!” the students shouted in anticipation. 

Steve looked at Bucky with confusion. “I don’t know that song.”

Bucky laughed. Then the students laughed. He wasn’t surprised that Steve hadn’t heard the horrid earworm of a song that for some reason made the kids happy.

“Don’t worry. By the time we’re done singing it, you won’t ever forget it.” 

Bucky played several bars to ready the students. “Alright here we go. Get ready. Four, three, two, one…”

• • • • •

That God forsaken song still bounced around in Steve’s head as he helped Bucky put away the rest of the donated school supplies after the students had gone home for the day. The milk crates were piled on top of one another beside the storage unit located near Bucky’s desk.

“Thanks a lot,” Steve groused.

“For what?”

“That shark song. It’s stuck in my head.”

Bucky burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, but now you know the burden I carry for my students.”

Steve shook his head and smiled. “So, you thought you’d share the burden with me. You know what? I’m just gonna take out my phone and put on something that’ll chase that tune outta my head.”

Steve thought he had been a good sport about the _Baby Shark_ song. Truthfully, there was no way he could have gotten out of singing the song once the students noticed he hadn’t started singing along with them. They focused their attention on him, encouraging him to sing. He noticed Bucky wanting to laugh but didn’t; he wanted to keep playing the guitar for the students.

Steve had given Bucky the ‘do I have to?’ expression. The answer he got back was a smile and a nod. So, Steve gave in and started singing along. 

“And what are you going to play to get rid of that earworm?”

“I was thinking of something from ABBA,” Steve grinned as he tapped his phone to bring up the music app. Scrolling through his playlist, he found the song he was looking for.

As soon as Bucky heard the first three notes, he shook his head and smiled. “I thought for sure you were going to play _Dancing Queen_ but _Gimme, Gimme, Gimme_ was a song I wasn’t expecting.”

“And why not? It’s a great song.”

“I know it is. It’s a great choice. I just thought— ”

“I would go for a cheesier earworm? I like quality earworms. _Baby Shark_ is not one of them.”

“I would never call you cheesy. Sappy, perhaps. But never cheesy.”

Steve chuckled. “Is there anything else you need to do before we leave? You are ready to leave, right?”

“I am. I’m just going to grab the guitar and bring it home with me.”

“I have my car here. I can give you a ride home,” Steve offered. Even though he had spent the day with Bucky, he wasn’t ready to part ways with him yet.

“That would be great,” Bucky replied as he retrieved his guitar case. “Uh, would you like to stay for dinner? I just want to thank you for collecting the donations for the class. I appreciated it. The kids appreciate it too, and I know Nat appreciates the gesture.”

Steve’s chest might have puffed up just a bit from the offer. “You know that’s not necessary.”

“I know,” smiled Bucky.

Even though he loved that Bucky was acknowledging his role in the donations, Steve simply wanted to do some good and not just impress the person he was so painfully fond of.

“Besides, it wasn’t just me who pulled it together,” Steve noted. “But I’d love to have dinner with you.” 

Bucky smiled. “Great! Now, we get to just be alone, just the two of us, instead of educating the students.”

“It seems you have to entertain in order to educate them.”

“In a way I do. I like to make sure they’re having fun without realizing they’re learning something. But they’re so interested in everything at that age that it’s not hard to get their attention. Ultimately, it’s about keeping their attention long enough so that they absorb what they’re learning.”

“Well, you got my attention.”

Bucky raised a brow. “I could say the same about you. And I got you to sing. You have a great singing voice.”

“God, the things I do to impress you,” Steve sighed.

“You don’t have to do anything to impress me. Just be you. You know you’re welcome to stay as long as you want tonight.”

Steve paused to look at him. “That’s a dangerous thing to say.”

Bucky grinned. “Why?” 

Steve could tell he liked tempting him. “It’s a school night; and if I stay as long as I want, I won’t leave until tomorrow morning.”

“That’s perfectly fine,” Bucky replied easily. “I’ll take what I can get. We don’t even have to have sex. A little kissing and cuddling never hurt anyone.” 

“I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”

“Why don’t you drop me off first, and I’ll start dinner while you go get a change of clothes?”

Steve liked the suggestion a lot. “Yeah, sure. I can do that.”

Bucky gave him a brilliant smile. “ Alrighty, it’s settled then. Let’s go. I have dinner to make.”


	6. I put a spell on you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky meet Alpine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday and welcome to chapter 6. This is pretty much the shortest chapter you'll read from this fic. On Monday, we're back to the normal longish chapters. Let's be honest, this chapter is about Alpine. The subject matter can't get better than that. LOL.
> 
> Thank you again for all the comments and kudos. I'm glad you're enjoying the fic.
> 
> See you all on Monday when the next chapter drops.

Steve removed his mask for a moment. “Alright. We’re almost done,” he informed the crew. “We just have this section left to go through before the fire marshal takes over. May, Thor, you guys start in the northwest corner of the building. Carol will join you once she’s finished talking to the fire marshal. Pete, Val, you’re coming with me. We’re going in the opposite direction. We all work our way back here. Got it?”

A chorus of ‘got it’ answered Steve’s question.

•

Walking through the burned out building, Steve thought about how he always worked on Halloween. The things people got into on that day never ceased to make him shake his head in dismay. 

Most of the calls involved garbage bin fires that had more to do with bored teens and college students pushing boundaries than anything else, but once in a while, the station would get a call involving old buildings that had been vacant for years or were undergoing renovations. The vacant buildings were ideal for squatters and more questionable activities. The badly burned building he and the crew were currently in had been one of those buildings. In fact, it was scheduled for demolition in a few weeks. It was probably going to get knocked down sooner rather than later after the fire marshall was done with his investigation.

With the fire extinguished, all they had left to do was check for hotspots and extinguish them.

After sifting through the blackened remains of what was once an office space and its perimeter, Steve, Val, and Peter slowly made their way back to the meeting point.

A sound caught Steve’s attention. He stopped, trying to hear the sound again. Val noticed Steve standing near one of the heavily singed walls. She reached out to Peter to stop. He stopped and turned around.

“Steve, is something wrong?” she asked.

“I heard something,” he replied.

Puzzled, Val and Peter looked at each other but remained quiet.

Steve heard the sound again. Something was crying. Following the sound, it seemed to be originating from underneath a pile of debris. Val and Peter walked up behind him to help.

“Did you hear that, Pete?” Val asked.

“Yeah, it sounds like an animal,” he replied.

All three began carefully removing the debris. Steve noticed that after removing the top layer of charred material, the debris underneath had somehow managed to go untouched by the fire. The high-pitched sound grew louder, more desperate and terrified. With Val and Peter lifting a hefty wooden beam, Steve spotted the creature. It was a white kitten that had managed to find a space that kept it protected from the fire. It mewled, afraid to climb out of its space. 

Removing his right glove, Steve reached in and brought the kitten out. It was dirty but didn’t appear injured. Although it looked scared, it also looked angry, bordering on indignant. Steve couldn’t help but smile at the little feline.

“Should we check to see if there are any siblings?” Val asked. “It’s small, almost too small to be on its own.”

“Yeah, we should check. This pile of debris is the only spot in the room where there’s a chance of finding any siblings.”

Not knowing where to put it, Steve slipped the kitten into his coat pocket. The kitten complained but didn’t make any effort to try to escape. 

After searching through the debris, they didn’t find any sign of other kittens in the area. Steve looked down at the kitten. It had poked its head out of the pocket and was looking around. 

“You have no idea how lucky you are, buddy,” he said.

As they made their way back to the meeting point, Steve, Val, and Peter looked around to see if there was anything worth investigating more closely. There was nothing. Steve hoped the kitten they saved was the only living creature in the building when the fire started.

Carol, Thor, and May were waiting for them back at the meeting point. Thor was the first to notice the fluffy furball taking up residence in one of Steve’s coat pockets.

“You have a stowaway, Steve,” Thor remarked. “Am I the only one who didn’t get the memo that we were getting a fire station mascot?”

“No, he’s not the mascot,” Steve replied. “We just rescued this little guy when we were checking for hotspots. I don’t think he’s going to be our mascot. I think we’d need a family meeting first before we commit to that.”

Carol walked to Steve smiling at the little mound of dirty fluff. It looked up and mewled at her. 

“It’s adorable, Steve,” she said, her voice soft and melting at the sight of the blue-eyed creature. “Let’s get out of here and take a closer look at it.”

• • • • •

While Carol spoke with the fire marshal one last time and the crew packed away gear back into the engine’s storage bins, Steve took a moment to take the kitten out of his pocket. 

It looked exhausted, but it’s respiration was rapid. Concerned, Steve wasn’t sure what to do. Believing that the kitten might be experiencing breathing issues, he pulled out a small oxygen mask meant for infants, turned on the oxygen tank it was attached to, and placed the mask over the kitten’s face. Surprisingly, it didn’t resist. 

May walked up to him. “Is it alright?”

“I don’t know. It’s breathing fast. I just thought maybe a little oxygen would help it. I need to take it to a vet so it can get checked out.”

“Cats will do that on hot days if they’ve been out in the sun too long without water or shade,” May noted. “The breathing should slow down after a while. It was in the building. It’s probably coming down from all that excitement.”

“Yeah, its little lungs should get checked out.”

“Steve, are you going to keep it?” May asked softly.

“I don’t know. I never had a pet growing up.”

“I think you know the answer. If you don’t, the little one has the answer. You handle it with such care. I think there’s a reason you found each other.”

Steve had to admit the kitten was pulling at his heart strings. He wasn’t sure if he was prepared to have a pet. But at the same time, he knew he would have a little trouble giving him up. 

“May, you always believe in fate.”

“I do. Fate has decided to put you two together. Just think about it. You can bring him to the station for visits.”

Steve chuckled. “Okay, now I see why you’re telling me to keep it. So it can be part of the family.”

May smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “I won’t deny that idea is floating somewhere in the back of my mind. But listen, I strongly believe in fate. The little guy is here for a reason. Like I said, just think about it.”

Steve removed the mask from the kitten. Gazing down at the soot-marked kitten, he smiled at the fact it had somehow fallen asleep, cradled in his arm.

• • • • •

Curiosity had gotten the better of the kitten as it explored the examination room at the vet clinic. Steve watched with amusement as it zigzagged across the stainless steel exam table, sniffing the air. It clumsily climbed onto the weight scale and mewled at Steve, making him chuckle.

Picking it up, he brought the kitten up to his face to look him in its blue eyes.

“Looking to cause trouble, buddy?”

It meowed in reply.

“You’re here because you lived through a fire and we gotta make sure you’re okay.”

Seemingly unsatisfied with Steve’s answer, the kitten meowed again and squirmed to get out of his hold.

A knock on the door caught Steve’s and the kitten’s attention. The door opened and the vet walked smiling kindly at them.

“Hello, Mr. Rogers. I’m Dr. Cho.” She looked at the kitten and was amused by the soot that colored its fur. “Could you put the little one down on the table? I'd like to take a look at it.” She grabbed a paper towel, dampened it with water and wiped the soot off the kitten.

“I’m sorry. I should have cleaned it up before we got here,” Steve said apologetically.

“Oh please, don’t worry about that. I read in the notes that you rescued him from a fire early this morning? You’re a firefighter, correct?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m with Rescue 2 over in Brooklyn, Crown Heights. We found it under some debris when we were doing a final walk through of the building.”

“He’s a lucky boy.” She placed the kitten on the scale and wrote down his weight.

“It’s male?”

“Yes, I just checked,” she smiled. “He’s adorable. He’s a little small for his age.”

“Oh? How old is he?”

“As far as I can tell, he’s thirteen weeks old but he looks more like he’s eight weeks old.”

Steve’s heart softened at the fact. “He’s a runt?”

“Not to worry,” she replied. “He’ll still grow to adult size. He might be on the smaller side, but it’s hard to say for now. Good nutrition should help him sprout. There’s nothing delicate about him. He has big paws. He’ll definitely grow into them.”

Steve looked at the kitten’s paws. They were indeed big for his body. It was encouraging to know that the little dude would grow into them. He watched Dr. Cho give the young feline a physical examination. She listened to his heart and his lungs.

“He sounds healthy,“ she commented. “I don’t hear anything out of the ordinary with his lungs or heart. He might have spent one of his nine lives surviving that fire, but there’s nothing to indicate he’ll be using up the rest of his lives anytime soon.”

“That’s a relief.”

“He probably never had his vaccinations, so we’ll need to do those today. He’ll need follow-up shots but I’ll write those down so you know when you need to bring him back.”

“Bring him back?”

“Yes, you are planning on keeping him, right?”

Without thinking, Steve replied “Yes. I am.”

The vet smiled softly. “Congratulations. We’ll need some information for our files. One of the assistants will help you fill out some forms. We can start by getting this little guy’s name.”

Steve blinked. “Uh, I don’t have a name for him yet.”

“That’s alright. We can leave the name blank for now. When you have a name for him, just call us and we’ll update his file.”

“Okay, sure. Once I come up with a name, I’ll give the clinic a call.”

“Excellent. Is he set up for his new home?”

“What do you mean? Like food?”

Dr. Cho regarded him with amusement. “Yes, I’m referring to food. But I’m also referring to cat litter, a litter box, actually you might want two litter boxes and a toy or two. You’ll also need a pet carrier. How did you bring him here?”

“He, uh, was in the passenger seat. I had him wrapped up in a small blanket. He didn’t move. He seemed to be enjoying the ride over here.

Suddenly, it hit Steve that he had become the owner or guardian of a small kitten. “I hadn’t thought about cat supplies yet. Everything has been moving kinda fast since I found him.”

“That’s alright. One of our assistants will help you get the appropriate food for him. The pet store next door can help you with the necessities of cat ownership. You can even take him into the store. They love it when customers come in with their pets.”

Steve nodded. He was happy that the kitten was healthy despite how the last twenty-four hours of its life went.

“I’m going to have a crash course in cat ownership, aren’t I?”

Dr. Cho chuckled. “Yes, you are, but you’ll be fine. And this little guy will be fine, too.”

• • • • •

Steve listened to the kitten mewl from the carrier as he put away the kitten’s food and set up his feeding area next to the kitchen island. The carrier sat on the island counter. Steve had removed the top half of the carrier so the kitten could see him when it stood on his hind legs. Fortunately, the kitten showed no desire to escape the carrier yet. 

Opening one of the small cans of kitten food, Steve grabbed a teaspoon from a drawer. The kitten’s ears perked forward as he sniffed the air, aware that something yummy was headed in his direction. Taking him out of the carrier, Steve scooped a small amount of the wet food and presented it to the kitten. 

Taking a quick sniff, the kitten tentatively began eating. Once the spoon was clean, Steve scooped another spoonful. This time, the kitten didn’t hesitate and dove into the food, placing his paw on Steve’s hand as if he didn’t want him to take the spoon away from him.

Much to Steve’s surprise, the kitten made growling noises as it ate. He chuckled at the sounds. “You have one heck of an appetite, sir,” he mused. 

After the kitten ate half the can, he covered it and set it aside. He would feed the kitten again later in the evening. He had more pressing matters, such as where the two litter boxes would go. He knew one of them would go in the bathroom near his bedroom.

Keeping the kitten close to his chest, Steve checked the half bathroom located just beyond the kitchen. Examining the space for a minute, he grabbed the covered litter box and slid it under the basin next to the drain pipe. It fit perfectly. Now all he had to do was fill the boxes with litter and help the kitten settle in.

• • • • •

Lying in bed, Steve watched the kitten chase an old shoelace. He had been playing with him for the last fifteen minutes. For fifteen minutes before that, Steve watched the kitten explore the bedroom on its own before deciding it wanted to go up onto Steve’s bed. 

Steve could see that the kitten was finally starting to grow tired though. It flopped down on the bed and yawned. Steve gently scratched its head, enticing it to fall asleep. Watching it sleep, Steve suddenly wanted to sketch the dozing creature. Grabbing his sketchbook and pencil from the nightstand, he quickly roughed out the sleeping kitten. Moving with rusty but deft fingers, the kitten appeared on the page in short order. Steve smiled at the image. _Not bad_ , he thought.

Gazing at the kitten again, he knew he needed to give it a name, but for whatever reason, nothing came to mind. Looking at his watch, he knew Bucky had just finished class for the day.

Grabbing his cellphone, he sent him a text.

_Steve: Hey. Free for dinner?_

_Bucky: I am :)_

_Steve: Come over when you’re ready. We have a special guest waiting to meet u_

_Bucky: ??? Wanna give me a hint? :)_

_Steve: Nope. It’s a surprise :D_

_Bucky: Ur no fun. Will be there around 6._

_Steve :)_

• • • • •

Walking up the stairs to Steve’s brownstone, Bucky wondered who the special guest he was meeting could be. He hoped he was going to meet Steve’s mother. It seemed like the most logical conclusion to him. 

The prospect of finally meeting her excited him because he wanted to meet the woman who had given birth to the man who had somehow captured his heart. He wanted to hear every story about Steve during his formative years. He wanted to learn about the kinds of trouble he got into and how it all played out.

Pressing the doorbell, Bucky waited with anticipation. Steve opened the door with a bright smile on his face. 

“Perfect, you’re here,” Steve enthused.

“You bet. The special guest you mentioned intrigued me.” 

Stepping into the small foyer, Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve to kiss him. His lips tasted of chocolate and mint. Bucky groaned, chasing after the flavors for another minute before they had to stop in order to breathe properly.

“Mmmm, wow, I could go for a kiss like that every day,” Steve remarked.

“I tasted chocolate and mint on your lips,” Bucky replied. “Put something sweet in your mouth before I give my first kiss of the day and I guarantee you’ll get more kisses like that one.” 

Bucky removed his messenger bag and jacket, leaving them on the living room couch.

“I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Steve entwined their fingers together, leading Bucky up the stairs which made him curious.

“I thought you said there was a special guest you wanted me to meet. They’re not in the kitchen?”

“Nope, they’re in the bedroom.”

Bucky halted halfway up the stairs. “I don’t understand. I’m not meeting your mother?”

Steve chuckled. “No, you’re not meeting my mother. I was hoping you would be available to meet her for Thanksgiving dinner. But I have to warn you, we don’t do turkey. Well, Ma doesn’t do turkey when it’s just the two of us. She does lamb. And she does lamb for Christmas too. Roasting turkey was never her thing and it never mattered to me what was on the dinner table. So, dinner with me and Ma?”

“I’ll give you an answer after I meet your special guest.”

“Your answer hinges on who the special guest is?”

“Uh, yeah.” Bucky wasn’t sure what to make of what was happening at the moment. He wondered if Steve was pranking him. They had never discussed having a third person enter their relationship. It was something he knew he wasn’t interested in. It required a particular mindset and he knew he didn’t have it. He had been under the impression that Steve felt the same way. For a second, he wondered if he was wrong in his assessment.

Steve smiled gently, appearing to understand Bucky’s apprehension. “It’s fine. Nothing has changed between us. Just trust me.”

Bucky paused for a moment, feeling nervous. But he saw sincerity in Steve’s eyes. He took a deep breath. “Alright, I will.”

Steve opened the bedroom door and they walked in. Bucky looked around, unsure of what to expect. 

As soon as he entered the room, he saw a white fluffy mound of fur sleeping in the middle of Steve’s bed. Bucky’s heart melted at the sight of the sleeping kitten. Walking up to the bed, he dropped to his knees to get a closer look. The kitten opened his eyes, blinked, then mewled. Bucky smiled from ear to ear. Offering his finger, the kitten sniffed and licked the tip of his finger, then mewled again. 

Steve knelt down beside Bucky. “I told you it was fine. He’s actually more than a special guest. I became a cat dad today.”

Bucky gently scratched the kitten’s chin while Steve softly stroked its fur. The kitten closed his eyes, enjoying the attention that was being lavished on him.

“Congratulations, Dad. How did this sweet little thing convince you to take him home?”

“Well, let me start with the fire call that came in at four this morning.”

• • • • •

Bucky cooed at the kitten while Steve set up the enclosed litter box beside the clothes hamper in the bathroom. Bucky knew why the litter boxes were going into the bathrooms. 

While the house had hardwood floors, the bathroom floors were tiled and that meant it would be relatively easy to clean up for any accidents and loose litter the kitten would track out of the box. Steve had also invested in containers for collecting the soiled clumping litter. Bucky was impressed at how seriously Steve was about being a good cat dad.

“Alright, we’re done,” said Steve. “Could you bring the kitten over here. I need to introduce him to the litter box. I hope he knows what’s for. I don’t know if he’s ever been shown a litter box before he was found.”

“He should be alright,” Bucky remarked, handing the kitten over to Steve. “Cats are pretty smart creatures.”

Putting the kitten into the enclosed litter box, Steve and Bucky waited and listened to what it was doing inside. They heard high pitched chirps and a mewl before they heard it scratching at the litter. Ten seconds went by before the kitten stumbled out of the litter box. Sitting up, the kitten mewled at them. Bucky picked him up while Steve checked the litter.

“Holy shit, he took a piss,” said Steve.

Bucky chuckled. “You sound surprised.”

“I am. I didn’t expect him to go right away.”

“Well, now we know he knows what to do in a litter box. By the way, what’s his name?”

“Uh, well, I haven’t named him yet,” Steve answered sheepishly. “I don’t know what to name him.”

Bucky planted a kiss on top of the kitten’s head. “Want a little help?”

“Yeah, two heads would be better than one.”

“Okay, what names did you think of?”

“Well, I thought of people names, but nothing suited him. So, I’d rather not revisit that option.”

“Alright, no people names. What was the first thing you really noticed about him after you saved his life?”

Steve paused for a moment. “I thought he was really cute. He definitely has a personality. Uh, I noticed how white his fur was after the vet and I cleaned him up. He reminds me of the pristine snow you find up in the mountains.”

Bucky thought for a moment, staring at the kitten who now seemed interested in his shoulder-length hair. “How about ‘Alpine’?” he suggested. “It has a little more personality than ‘Snow’.”

Steve looked at the kitten for a moment and smiled. “Yeah, Alpine is a great name. I like it. Besides, I can call him ‘Al’ for short.”

“Seriously, his nickname is going to be ‘Al’?” 

“Nothing wrong with ‘Al.’ It has personality too,” Steve replied in a mock defensive tone.

Bucky laughed. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised since you call me ‘Buck’ instead of ‘Bucky’.”

“You don’t like being called Buck?”

“I like it. You’re the first person to call me Buck. I like how it sounds when you say it.”

Steve suddenly looked bashful. “So, would you like to have Thanksgiving dinner with me and my Ma? If it doesn’t interfere with any plans with your family, I think it would be great if the two of you met.”

Smiling fondly at Steve, with Alpine still in his arms, Bucky took a step forward to kiss him on the cheek. “Of course, I’ll have Thanksgiving dinner with you and your mom. I think it was pretty clear when I got here I thought I was going to meet your mother. I wasn’t expecting to meet Alpine and see you become a cat dad. And since I’m meeting your mom, would you like to have dinner that weekend at my parents’ place? I don’t think they’d mind having the turkey dinner over the weekend.”

Steve smiled at the invitation. “I’d love to meet your family. Let me figure out the shift schedule and I’ll let you know.”

“Perfect. And then I’ll let mom know which day she can roast the turkey. They’ll be excited to meet you.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be great… So, uh, you like Alpine?”

Bucky raised his eyebrows, wondering why he seemed suddenly shy. “Steve, you know I grew up fostering animals. I love him just as much as I love his dad.”

Steve’s face brightened at the word ‘love’.

“It’s okay that I said I love you, right?” Bucky had to ask the question even though he was certain he knew what Steve’s feelings for him were.

“I think you know it’s more than okay, Buck. I love you.” He pulled Bucky in for a kiss. They continued kissing until Alpine complained about being sandwiched between the two men. 

Stepping back, Steve scratched the top of the kitten’s head. “Sorry, buddy.” He turned his attention back to Bucky. “I have something to give you.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I do.” Steve reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out two keys.

Bucky stared at them. He felt his heart beating a little faster. “What are they for?”

“They’re for you, Buck. You can come and go as you please. One is for the front door, the other is for the screen door and back door. I’d like you to start leaving some of your clothes here. You know there’s plenty of room for your stuff, and there’s room for your car in the back.”

“Wow, you’re serious about this,” he said with a touch of awe in his voice. The warm feeling of joy slowly seeped into Bucky’s heart.

“I am serious about this,” smiled Steve. “I hope I’m not moving too fast by giving you the keys to my place.”

“No, you’re not. It’s just… No one has ever given me keys to their place before. This is completely fucking new to me.” Bucky paused. “Wait. You’re giving me the keys so I can drop by and feed the little guy and clean up his litter boxes while you’re at the firehouse, right? I see what you’re doing here.”

Steve laughed. “Honestly, I wasn’t thinking that, but considering my bad timing, I can see why you would come to that conclusion. That wasn’t the intent. I wanted to give you the keys to my kingdom even before Alpine showed up. And I’m honored to be the first to offer.”

Buck smiled and shook his head as he reached out to take the keys, thrilled that they were taking the next step in their relationship. The last three months had been special. Steve was a kindred spirit. From their first meeting, it felt like he had known him forever. It felt effortless. It felt comfortable. It was something he had never experienced before. It was a feeling he would never get tired of. He wanted a future with Steve. The keys were the first step in that direction.

“I’ll gladly take the keys to your kingdom, sir. It's a funny coincidence that during today’s class, I read the kids a book about a knight in search of a dragon for his king.”

“Did the king want the knight to slay the dragon?”

“Yes, but the knight discovered the dragon meant no harm after it saved his life. He convinced the king that the dragon wasn’t evil, so the kingdom and the dragon ended up living in peace together. As a result, the knight and dragon became life-long friends.”

Steve smiled at the story summary. “Having the keys to my kingdom means you’re my equal and my partner if that’s what you want,” Steve clarified.

“I absolutely want that, Steve. I have a key for you back at my apartment. I would have brought it with me, but I didn’t think we would be sharing keys until the new year. I’ll bring it with me the next time we see each other.”

Steve looked amused. “Why the new year?”

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. I don’t consider myself someone who likes to rush things. I do believe in striking when the iron is hot, but generally I like to assess a situation before I make my next move.”

“I know what you mean. But I have to admit that three months was a long time for me to wait to give you the keys. I knew the moment I saw you that I wanted to be a part of your life. The idea of having a life together was something that has been living rent free in my mind for quite a while.”

“You wanted to give me your keys the moment you saw me?” Bucky was flattered, but everything felt a little surreal at the moment.

“Let’s just say I wanted to give you something.” 

Steve’s smirk had Bucky laughing. “Alright, why don’t you get dinner started?” he suggested. “And I’ll get to know Alpine a little better?”


End file.
